Spring is just around the corner. For many people, it’s a great time to renovate or declutter. Naturally, during the spring-cleaning process, clearing out the clutter also means deciding what to do with it once it’s ready to leave the home.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region wants you to consider bringing your new and gently used items to them. Donations can be made at any of their three ReStore locations (open to the public Monday through Sunday) at 300 Milroy Drive and 550 Braidwood Avenue in Peterborough, and at 55 Angeline Street North in Lindsay.
By donating your household items and building materials to Habitat for Humanity, you’ll be making eco-conscious choices (keeping them out of landfills) while supporting building projects for affordable housing in your community.
Donations for safe, decent, and affordable housing
Making donations to your local ReStore means investing in safe, decent and affordable housing for members of the community who need it most. What can you donate? Almost everything — including the kitchen sink. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore will accept donations of kitchen cabinetry, sinks, toilets, lighting, furniture, building materials, scrap metal, and more.
“When someone is decluttering or renovating, we encourage them to bring any unused or previously loved items to the ReStore,” says Christina Skuce, Director of Philanthropy & Communications with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. “We welcome quality new and gently used furniture, home décor, housewares, appliances, DIY and renovation materials, and so much more.”
The ReStore will also accept donations of electronics (working or not), kitchen cabinets, dishes, books, movies, artwork, outdoor furniture, vacuums, and even your new or used car. While they do not take clothing donations, they do offer donation bins on site for one-stop donors.
“To make donating items easier for our customers, so that they can donate all of their items in one location and avoid multiple drop offs, we have clothing and textile donation bins on site that are shared with our other charity partners,” adds Skuce. “We can not accept mattress donations, anything damaged or excessively stained or dirty, and we can’t accept anything with a safety rating on it such as strollers, highchairs, and cribs.”
While mattresses are not accepted, bed frames and headboards in good condition are welcome. Tools, windows, doors, lawn equipment, electrical or plumbing supplies and hardware can also be donated. You can find a complete list of what is and is generally not accepted on the ReStore website at www.habitatpkr.ca/restores.
“If you’re decluttering or remodelling, moving or downsizing, or if it’s just time to renew your space, think ReStore,” says Skuce. “Whenever you donate excess household goods or building materials to a ReStore, you’re helping to support local families and the environment, by enabling the ReStore to recycle perfectly re-usable household items — reducing your environmental footprint.”
“This as an environmentally conscious decision as well as an opportunity to help local families build strength, stability, and self-reliance.”
Large donations for pick up, scrap metal, e-waste and vehicles wanted
For donations to the Restore, size doesn’t matter. If you have items that you’re unable to transport like dishwashers, dryers, or tables, a pickup can be arranged. ReStore staff can come to you to assist with larger items.
You can even enlist the help of Habitat Peterborough’s kitchen removal experts. They will remove your unwanted kitchen cabinetry or pick up your already disassembled cabinetry, free of charge. Donation pickups can be arranged within the City and County of Peterborough and in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
E-waste — waste that is electronic (both functioning and non-functioning items) — can also be useful to the ReStore. Scrap metal is also considered a worthy donation.
Even if something doesn’t work or seems like it cannot be used, it’s worth bringing to the store before dumping in a landfill.
“You can turn your old electronics into homes for Habitat,” explains Skuce. “Don’t dump it, donate it. Maybe it’s an old TV or VCR that doesn’t work or get used anymore, or an old stereo. Our ReStores provide a free recycling program that raises funds to build Habitat homes by collecting your unwanted electronics.”
A new or used vehicle donation is yet one more way that you can support Habitat for Humanity’s work in Peterborough and the Kawartha Region.
Beyond your donation, how to get involved
In addition to donating items to the ReStore, shopping in the store is another way to support Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region. As a Habitat ReStore customer, you’ll never have to pay tax and you’ll always get a great deal. Purchases made in store help to finance ongoing build projects within your community.
“Every purchase in the ReStore creates the opportunity for a better life, and helps local families achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership,” Skuce notes. “So by supporting a Habitat ReStore in Peterborough or in Lindsay, you contribute to one of our upcoming or ongoing home building projects.”
“One of our big projects coming up this year will be starting in the spring. We will begin construction of a 41-unit affordable condo building in Peterborough,” Skuce points out.
If you’ve already decluttered and are looking to get involved, volunteers are always welcome. You can help by volunteering in the ReStore to test products, greet customers, stock shelves, and accept donated items. High school students and youth volunteers are also encouraged to get involved.
“Volunteers are the heart of our organization,” says Skuce. “They are involved in every aspect of the organization from the ReStore, to the build site, to the office, to committees and the Board. We would not be able to get more families into decent, affordable homes without the generous support of our volunteers.”
While spring may be a great time to declutter and donate to the ReStore, Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region accepts donations year-round and is always looking for new items to restock their inventory. Don’t be afraid to bring in your new or gently used items any time of year.
“Every donation made to a ReStore helps create the opportunity for a local family to build a better life,” says Skuce. “All proceeds stay local and are invested into building safe, decent and affordable homes in the City and County of Peterborough and the City of Kawartha Lakes.”
To make your donation today, visit your local ReStore Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, including volunteer opportunities, visit www.habitatpkr.ca.
ReStore locations
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This story was created in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region.
