by Bill Maddick
VETERAN’S CORNER
The Redistribution Center, Inc., the Warriors Warehouse and Founder Rayna Kelley
T
he directions brought me to a house on the corner with a large
metal building in the back. It looked like it could have been
a home shop or home business, with a box truck and several
vehicles in the side parking area to confirming my suspicion that
I was in the right place. Once I finished parking, I saw three busy
women through an open door, each bent on some task or another.
I walked toward the open door and before I was halfway there, one
of the women noticed my arrival and said, “Hi I’m Ranya Kelly.” After
returning her hearty welcome I introduced myself as a writer for
Thunder Roads Colorado and we began to chat. I realized quickly
that we spoke the same language. Having a disability rating myself
and having had the experience of being needy and disadvantaged
myself, I know that I would never have made it through without the
help of people like Ranya.
Just after our conversation began, Ranya’s phone rang. She
politely excused herself and, responding to the caller, she began
giving directions to her warehouse, and unabashedly instructing the
listener not to bring the kids or the dogs because she was going to
fill their car with food. Arrangements made, she ended the call and
we returned to the conversation as we began walking out in the
parking lot towards a group of volunteers who were there to sort
donations. At issue was something about a truck with 40 Christmas
trees and a load of coats going to the coats giveaway that was
in addition to the normal load of furniture, household goods, food,
bedding, utensils, etc, which are sorted weekly by the Redistribution
Warehouse. Trailing along to keep our conversation going, but
respecting my intrusion on her schedule, I handed her a card and
pledged to get back in touch. I hoped for more conversation but
realized that the busyness and distraction she experiences, often
while undertaking two conversations at once, is fairly routine for her
as a woman running a charity that gives away $2.5 million worth of
goods per year.
Ranya’s story begins in 1986 when she discovered 500 pair of
shoes in a dumpster; she salvaged those shoes and gave them
to a local charity. Seeing the need and the lack of resources she
founded the nonprofit the volunteer Redistribution Center, Inc. in
1991, which is staffed by volunteers. The intention was to distribute
new but unsold items, helping to provide some basic necessities
for those in need. The charity thrived and by September 11, 2001,
she found herself distributing in several different states and for the
victims of the World Trade Center attack and their families. More
recently, she has also contributed to the Colorado flood victims
of 2012, providing both immediate and long term assistance. The
Redistribution Center, Inc. has redistributed over $69 million worth
of household goods, toys, food, furniture and other basics since
its founding, receiving these donations from such notable charities
as 9 Cares , Feed the Children, the Archdiocese of Denver, the
American Legion and the VFW just to name a few. Ranya proudly
proclaims that they acquire, sort and redistribute these goods with
an administrative overhead of only one percent, keeping the other
99% available to those in need.
Aviation Headquarters Company command at a stateside base.
Now Ranya found herself caring for her seriously ill son at home
with a medical discharge, while simultaneously fulfilling her role as
CEO for a very busy and prominent charity. So with her firsthand
experience dealing with a veteran returning home from the theater
with a life threatening disease, and with renewed purpose, Ranya
subsequently established the Warriors Warehouse at Fort Carson
in November of 2012. Intended to provide basic necessities to
enlisted military ranked sergeant and below, it is accessible at
building #302 from 10:30 hours through 13:30 hours on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays. Soldiers are referred from on base
social services and charities, but are limited to only five items per
month, with records kept to prevent the same items from being used
repeatedly. It is intended to provide the basics in helping soldiers
through unplanned rough spots and the hardships that military life
can place upon a family, but it is not intended to be a means of
primary or permanent support.
Notwithstanding, 1,831 coats just got distributed at the annual
Coat Giveaway there on November 5, 2015, only 150 were left over.
The Warrior Warehouse also distributed 150 turkey baskets for the
seriously ill (the excess of these giveaways will be distributed to
families of the National Guard). And this was all done while conducting
the regular daily business of the Warehouse—distributing furniture,
household goods, bedding, towels, etc. to all the needy families that
came in that day. Ranya remarks that, “This is all about being sure that
those who are sworn to protect our freedoms are as free as they can
be themselves when they struggle to make ends meet.”
Ultimately, Ranya and I were able to connect again and I innocently
asked Ranya if she did anything specific for Christmas, since the
Christmas season is upon us. The line went uncomfortably silent for
a second before she responded that they had just finished the coat
giveaway and they also contribute to Toys for Tots—not to mention
distributing forty Christmas trees. I felt embarrassed for putting her
on the spot in such a way, considering all the good this woman has
done through the years and all the contributions she has made.
But then just as quickly, I realized that Ranya creates Christmas for
people every day, in some way or another. She has devoted her life
to it and when things became more difficult with her son ill she could
have reduced what she was doing, but she didn’t, she increased
what she was doing by creating the Warrior Warehouse. So this
Christmas, I will be grateful for Ranya and those like her who keep
the spirit of giving alive and well all year long, working to help our
soldiers and those in our community that are in need..
Since the Redistribution center runs on volunteer labor, volunteers
are welcome and if you can’t spare the time, contributions are
always welcome. If you are interested in either contacting her
to volunteer or to make a donation, call 303-263-9919. You can
also check out their website: http://www.redistributioncenter.org/.
Prepare to be inspired, I certainly was.
I would also like to wish all of our readers a safe and happy
holiday season from myself and all of us here at Thunder Roads
Colorado!
Unfortunately, tragedy struck and Ranya’s son, a West Point
graduate, contracted lymphoma following two tours in Iraq and he
was medically discharged after treatment and after completing his
www.thunderroadscolorado.com
December 2015
Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado 17