Warren County Habitat for Humanity Restore – We Build Homes
There is more than one way to build a home. The act of constructing a home – laying the foundation or putting paint on the walls – is one way to build. But providing the things that make a home – the perfect table for the family to gather around for supper or the cozy couch to nap away a lazy afternoon – is another. And that’s where we come in.
Our primary purpose at the ReStore is to raise the funds to build homes. All of our profits go directly to the current building project. We also help the environment. The donations from the community have kept 700 tons of trash from our landfills. But it’s the intangibles that make what we do so special.
The process seems deceptively simple. Items get donated, we put them out on the store floor and they get taken home. Sometimes they may get a little extra TLC, but that’s it. It’s a store. Things come in and things go out. But that’s not all. There is a story behind every piece when it comes in and it will create new memories when it goes out. This is where we do our part to build a home.
Take a couch for example.We may get it for several reasons: the family is expanding and have outgrown it, a couple is moving in together and only need one, another couple is downsizing because the kids have all moved out and they need less space, or the living room has just gotten a new carpet and a fresh coat of paint and the family wants something new to go with it. This couch has been part of their home for years. It was where they comforted a sick child, stayed up all night planning their perfect vacation, or showed their favorite movie to a loved one for the first time. As silly as it sounds, even though it no longer fits their home, they can’t bear to just throw it out. Someone can use it.
And someone can use it: a family is welcoming their newest member, a first time homeowner is looking to set up their new home or they just updated the living room and need a new couch to go with the changes, The couch they get from us will be in their home for years. It will be where they comfort a sick child, stay up all night plaining their perfect vacation or show their favorite movie to a loved one for the first time. As silly as it sounds, it’s perfect for their home, they can’t wait to use it.
Our part in the story is small, we’re just the store that accepted the donation of that couch from one family and sold it to another. We get to see these stories every day. Our profits may build homes for our Habitat Families, but our donations of service and merchandise have built countless others.
And we are thrilled to be a part of all of them. Welcome to the ReStore – the store that builds homes.
