Philadelphia Business Journal Honors EDA Contractors & Heroic Gardens

Each year, PBJ spotlights standout collaborations that address critical issues including food insecurity, education, workforce development, and healthcare. This year, 25 partnerships were selected from public nominations and reviewed by PBJ’s editorial board, which considered volunteer hours, financial contributions, and community impact.

In 2024 alone, over 20 EDA employee volunteers contributed 197 hours to Heroic Gardens, an organization dedicated to connecting veterans and their families to the healing power of nature. In addition, Heroic Gardens was the title recipient of EDA’s 2024 EDA Cares Charity Golf Outing, raising over $23,000 in support of programs such as on-site gardening classes and a workforce development initiative that will launch a veteran-run U-Pick Sunflower Field in Northeast Philadelphia this July.

“EDA has set the bar for corporate giving and community service,” said Collie Turner, Therapeutic Horticultural Practitioner and Founder of Heroic Gardens. “Their employees are deeply invested in our mission year-round. We’ve moved beyond partnership—EDA feels like family and inspires us to dream bigger every year.”

The partnership began when Tony Melle, an EDA Superintendent and Air Force veteran, nominated Heroic Gardens through EDA’s employee-led charitable program. With veterans working in various roles across EDA, the organization found a natural fit supporting a cause rooted in veteran well-being—while also applying the professional skillsets of its workforce.

“EDA’s philanthropic model empowers employees to make a hands-on difference in causes that matter personally to them,” said Karissa Czepiga, Culture Coordinator at EDA. “We support organizations not just with funding, but by addressing everyday needs—whether it’s building doors for a charity-run store, installing a roof for a shelter, or pouring a concrete walkway for a child in a wheelchair. This philosophy reflects the passion of our CEO, Ed DeAngelis, who leads with humility and purpose.”

About EDA Contractors

EDA specializes in the exterior envelope of all commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Our exterior envelope includes Wall Panels and Accessories, Roofing, Waterproofing, Historical Restoration, Air and Vapor Barriers, Green Roof Systems, Masonry, and Architectural Glass and Metal. 

Also, EDA offers an exterior skin, 10-year all-inclusive construction warranty designed to cover the workmanship on EDA’s linked-services. The envelope is sealed with our guarantee, because we believe that it is better to be under the same quality control and accountability of one company.