ReStore: 101
Posted by Jason Skipworth on 06/09/2009 @ 10:52Categories: New at the ReStore
Tags:
Hey Everybody!!!
Welcome to our first ReBlog! Our goal is to keep our customer and donor base informed about any and everything related to the non-profit, construction, and retail worlds...And of course the ReStore. So to get started with our introductory post we are going to take a page from the education sector and have a ReStore: 101 class. Now for those of you that don't know what a ReStore is prepare to have you minds blown! The restore is a store **bare with me** that sells items such as doors, appliances, windows, building and construction materials, furniture, household goods and many more interesting things priced at 50% to 90% off retail price. A running list of acceptable and unacceptable items can be found on this website, but what's great about the ReStore is that you're never going to guess how we get all these usable materials. Or maybe you will, who knows...
PEOPLE GIVE THEM TO US!!! Think Goodwill, but better.
However, not only do people donate materials to us, but companies do too! Everyone from Home Depot to Wal-Mart and even some local companies like Kohler Homes and Ryan Reph Remodeling donate to the Habitat ReStore. We even have the ability to pick up these items with the use of our three trucks. However, we only pick up in Arlington and Fairfax County and some other surrounding areas.
We've been open since 2004 and our whole premise is based on a symbiotic relation between donor and donee (is that a word??). Obviously, we take in the materials and the companies and individuals who donate to us are able to get a donation receipt. Write off!!! They also get to clean out their garages and storage areas only to fill them back up with stuff that they'll eventually give us.
Yes!!
**Serious face time**
All jokes aside we are really dedicated to not only providing a service for our community by taking in these usable items, but also to our environment. If you ever have had the blessed opportunity to come to our store or any other ReStore just imagine everything in a landfill
. Through our meager operations we really do have an effect on our community's continuing environmental prosperity. We can't take everything, but we do try hard to find a home for the items and materials that our given to us. So buy something quick! We live by the motto "Miss a Day..Miss a deal."And that's only the first tier of our mission.
The absolute and unwavering reason ReStore exist is because of families like the Rodriquez family who happens to be featured on our homepage. Through the allocation and eventual sale of the items and materials we take in funds are raised to support our affiliate's construction cost. After all you know we build houses. BTW, we are the largest private home builder in the United States and the 11th largest overall home builder according to Builder magazine's 2008 Builder 100 list. 5,421 homes in 2008 alone to be exact! And that's only in the US of A. We're world wide like the recession.
And speaking of recessions, according to Habitat International some Habitat ReStores across the United States and Canada are so successful that they have the ability to fund an additional 10 or more houses per year. No kidding. This is a cause within a cause and we will never get put on pause!! We're like our own little stimulus package.
So that's the ReStore at a glance in terms of what we do and who we do it for. Now for who we are...
Our Habitat ReStore staff includes.
Herb Campbell Aka Big Daddy - Fearless leader and General Manager
James Snowden - Assistant Manager
Jason Skipworth (myself) - ReStore Coordinator/AmeriCorps. VISTA
Al Clements - ReStore Driver
Terrance Dunkley - ReStore Driver
Ryan Baetsen - Intern
Both Herb and James have extensive managerial experience at Home Depot where they gained the knowledge and know how to run the daily operations of the ReStore.
Also, James and Terrance are both veterans of our Armed Forces.
James: Operation Desert Storms
Terrance: Operation Iraqi Freedom
Herb claims to have flash backs of 'Nam (as in Vietnam), but I think they are just flash backs from the movie Platoon.
Al, a native of our nation's capital has a history of working in public works and infrastructure. He uses his knowledge of the roads to expedite his pick up routes.
Ryan is a political science student at Virginia Tech interning for the summer to gain some knowledge and experience to propel his career in public service.
And myself, I'm a Pennsylvania native..We Are..Penn State!!..who joined AmeriCorps. in 2008 to help Habitat anyway I can.
So that's the ReStore...the who, what, when, where, and how. And to sum up what we expect this blog to be I would like to use
Until next time
Miss a Blog and You're in the Fog (I promise that's the last time I'll say that.)
- Jason Skipworth
