By Christine Hill
With donations of appliances, furniture and building materials, the Heartland Habitat for Humanity ReStores give used materials a second life, reduce landfill waste and support a mission of building and renovating homes for low-income residents.
The three Heartland Habitat ReStores are non-profit retail outlets that sell donated furniture, building materials, appliances and related items at greatly discounted prices. Since 1987, the organization has used its proceeds to help finance the building of Habitat for Humanity homes and each year divert more than 18 tons of materials from the landfill.
Locally, Heartland Habitat has ReStore locations in Wyandotte County, Johnson County and a Northland location in Kansas City, MO.
“Heartland Habitat has constructed over 300 new homes and repaired another 300 homes in the past 28 years,” said Tom Lally, president and CEO. “The tithe program internationally has helped build another 300 homes abroad. We’ve impacted close to 1,000 homes in our existence.”
Heartland Habitat for Humanity ReStores also gives residents and businesses an easy way to recycle household materials and divert waste from the landfills.
“Everything in here is getting a second chance,” says Wally Binney, vice president of ReStores. “Every donation is essentially kept out of the trash and out of the landfill.”
Donate building materials and furniture
General donations to the ReStores come from homeowners, contractors, area business and international businesses such as IKEA. Local hotels including Extended Stay, Hilton and Holiday Inn donate furniture and appliances when they are remodeling. Heartland Habitat’s parent organization, Habitat for Humanity International, also has corporate partnerships with Darden Restaurants, Inc. to pick up local furniture or other reusable items near ReStore locations. When individuals donate, they can receive a tax benefit for their donation.
Story continues on next page…
