What do these people all have in common?
- Contractors who need building materials
- Homeowners who are remodeling their homes
- College students who are getting their first apartment
- High school students who are fulfilling community service requirements
- Retirees who want to give back to the community
- Special needs students who want to get life and work skills
- Rehab patients with stroke or head injuries who are planning to go back to the workforce
- Anyone who loves a bargain
They all shop or volunteer at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in
Burlington County!
I interviewed Marianne Reddick, Habitat’s ReStore Manager. She spoke passionately about the people
who donate, shop and volunteer at the ReStore. I learned that customers come back so often that everyone is
on a first-name basis. In fact,
customers like the ReStore so much, many of them end up volunteering to work
there.
Shopping At The
ReStore
People come from as far away as Philadelphia to shop at the
ReStore. Whether you’re just
starting out, working on home repairs, remodeling or looking for a bargain for
your home or business, the ReStore can be an attractive option.
As you can see from the pictures below, you never know what
you might find at the ReStore. It
all depends upon what has been donated. They carry everything from furniture to
sewing machines. Couches average
$100 and you can get a leather couch for $200.
You can even purchase artwork and antiques. They’ve sold a lithograph signed by artist
Peter Max, from the NY Marathon ad campaign as well as a lamp from the 1800s by
Meissen Group.
Local Businesses
Donate Products To The ReStore
In a prior posting, I wrote about Jantek and how they’ve
discovered that it makes good business sense to donate to the ReStore. Other examples include:
- Nuss Construction Company donates the products they remove during a job, such as cabinets.
- Ultra Hardware donates new products that don’t meet their specifications but are perfectly fine for the average consumer, for example, hinges.
- Power Windows donates new merchandise that has been returned.
Volunteering At The
ReStore
The ReStore is much more than a place to donate to or shop
at. It is a place where
relationships form and people learn new skills; for example:
- Habitat partners with local schools and government agencies so that people with learning and developmental challenges can work at the ReStore in order to get life and work skills. In many cases a coach comes with them to work.
- Habitat also partners with a neurological rehabilitation center whose patients have had a stroke or head injury and the program is integrated into their rehab.
- Families who receive a Habitat house have to “give back” 500 hours to Habitat. (This is called sweat equity) They often end up working at the ReStore.
- People of all ages work at the ReStore - sometimes to satisfy community service requirements and other times because they believe in giving back to the community. You’ll see students, baseball teams and retirees working there at any given time.
Marianne told me that she welcomes suggestions from
customers and has incorporated many of their ideas. She spoke with pride about Habitat, its mission and the role
of The ReStore.
Check It Out
Whether you want to shop, donate, volunteer or simply learn
more about Habitat, come visit the ReStore located at 1702 Taylors Lane,
Cinnaminson, NJ or call 856-303-8080. Hours of operation are:
Tuesday: 10 AM – 7 PM
Wednesday: 9 AM – 7 PM
Thursday: 9 AM – 7 PM
Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
Saturday: 9 AM – 2 PM
ReStore Pictures
