SHOPPING WITH A MISSION
Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity ’ s ReStore offers new and used home repair and improvement items at bargain prices , and sales help fund affordable Habitat for Humanity housing for qualified , hardworking , lower income Erie-area families .
By Bernadette Wilson
The pandemic may have impacted Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity building projects , but there ’ s still something you can do to help the organization ’ s mission — shop !
ReStore , located at 4922 Pittsburgh Avenue , Erie , is open to the public from 9 a . m . to noon on Fridays and from 8 a . m . to 4 p . m . on Saturdays , and may have just what you need for your next home improvement project . The store is a DIY paradise . Aisles are filled with construction materials at bargain prices , such as :
• Architectural salvage – cabinets , windows , door frames
• Building materials – interior and exterior doors , trim , shutters , hardware , shingles , siding
• Plumbing – sinks , bathtubs , toilets , vanities
• Flooring – tile , wood , laminate
• Electrical – light fixtures , hardware .
ReStore also offers kitchen appliances , home goods , tools , and hard furniture , such as dining room sets , desks , cabinets , headboards and dressers , as inventory arrives .
How ReStore Fills the Shelves Everything for sale at ReStore is donated . Area businesses , contractors , and homeowners donate gently used items , leftover new materials from building projects , and in some cases , overstocked store inventory or displays .
Nancy Milkowski , Executive Director of Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity , says donations are first considered for Habitat building projects . If they won ’ t work for a Habitat build , they are marked for sale in ReStore .
“ People can always feel good about donating ,” she adds . “ Donations are used for the mission ’ s work , and if not , it goes toward funding the mission .”
That mission is about partnering with the community and hardworking , lower income families who need a decent , safe , affordable home . For some , it is also the fulfillment of a dream , but for all applicants for Habitat housing , it is a need . To date , more than 280 adults and children in the Erie area now live in safe , decent homes , and the mortgage they pay back helps provide seed money for future Habitat for Humanity projects with other families .
How to Donate
It ’ s easy to donate building materials or home goods to ReStore . If you ’ re replacing doors or bathroom fixtures or have excess materials from a home improvement project you took on during the pandemic , you can take them to ReStore from 9 a . m . to 3 p . m . on Tuesdays , Wednesdays or Fridays . Follow Habitat Erie ’ s Facebook page for special collection dates and events .
When dropping off your donation , enter the south driveway and proceed to the back of the building . Your vehicle will trigger a signal to the ReStore staff of your arrival to drop off your donation . Signage will remind you to wear your mask and stay in your vehicle , and the ReStore team provides contactless , “ curbside ” service , unloading your materials for you . Receipts can be issued for your tax purposes .
Businesses or individuals making large donations , such as materials in good condition from a bathroom or kitchen remodel can call Erie Habitat for Humanity at 814.454.7025 , ext . 103 , to inquire about scheduling a free pickup . It ’ s a great alternative to sending construction materials to a landfill — those cabinets that
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