The Habitat for Humanity Choptank ReStore, located at 8610 Commerce Drive in Easton, just off the bypass near Target, is preparing to celebrate its sixth anniversary with an open house on Saturday, November 12th from 9 am to 4pm. Shoppers and donors will enjoy food, special discounts, and a wide variety of merchandise. At 10:30am, store volunteers and staff will gather to reveal the total proceeds that have been generated to date to support Habitat’s affordable home ownership program.
The resale shop opened its doors five years ago based on a business plan put together by a group of volunteers who saw this as an additional way to serve the community and raise other funds for the Habitat mission in Dorchester and Talbot Counties. In 2015, the ReStore relocated to a larger facility just a few doors away from it’s original location. “With great support from the community, we continue to grow and grow,” says ReStore manager Chris Smith. “Since our doors opened, we’ve been receiving wonderful donations of quality used and even new home improvement items and furniture and offering a one of a kind shopping experience to the public.”
Store inventory changes daily. The now-familiar ReStore truck makes 20 pick-ups per week on average, collecting donated goods every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from individuals, retailers and builders all over the Mid-Shore. In response to the high volume of donation pick-up requests, a second truck was added late last year. Hundreds more items are brought right to the ReStore by donors every month. Drive-up donors are greeted by a crew of dedicated volunteers who prepare a receipt that can be used for tax purposes.
“We work with a lot of commercial donors as well as receive donations from the general public,” Smith says. “Our single biggest department in terms of sales is furniture, which comes almost entirely from individual donors.”
The net proceeds from the ReStore are invested into Habitat Choptank’s self-help home ownership program. Since its founding in 1992, the nonprofit home builder has made home ownership possible for 69 qualifying home buyers in its two-county service region. Eight homes are currently under construction with plans to start at least six more over the coming year. Income qualifying home buyers are offered access to affordable mortgage financing in order to purchase a new construction or rehabbed home from the nonprofit’s project inventory. After completing “sweat equity” hours, attending pre-homeownership classes, eliminating debit and meeting savings goals, these individuals and families will purchase homes that they helped construct and assume the full responsibilities of home ownership including maintaining their home, paying property taxes and repaying their mortgage over 30 to 33 years.
For more information about the ReStore, to shop, donate or volunteer, call 410-820-6186. Information about Habitat Choptank’s ReStore, its affordable home ownership program, and other volunteer opportunities, can be found at www.HabitatChoptank.org.
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