Page 22 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2017

COASTNOTES
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GETS A BOOST AT
story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
photos courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast
ReStore, Habitat for Humanity’s nonprofit home improvement outlet, opened its Gulf Coast location in April. The store offers quality donated home furnishings, furniture, and building supplies at a fraction of
the original cost. Best of all? The store’s revenue supports Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s work building, rehabbing and repairing homes for hard-working local families.
The store’s grand opening took place on April 15, but renovations have been underway since November of last year. Habitat for Humanity spent almost
$1 million on the renovation, which includes two buildings, the showroom and a large storage building adjacent to the store.
According to the store manager, Wesley Griffin, ReStore offers
three key benefits: saving landfill space, providing affordable home- improvement materials, and funding Habitat’s mission to build affordable housing. “There are more than 800
of these stores across the county, but each one is different,” Griffin said. “The inventory is all donation-based, so each store ends up reflecting the character of the community it’s in.”
Though ReStore offers many items that can be found at other thrift stores, it also offers building materials such as flooring, lumber, windows and doors. “We’re not competing with the
existing thrift market on the Coast,” said Lindsay Freise Avery, director
of resource development for Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “There are things that other groups can accept that we can’t, so we work together to send those types of donations to other groups who will be able to use them.”
You can help support ReStore by donating items, volunteering your time or by shopping in the store
as all proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity’s mission. ReStore accepts donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and also offers free pickup for donated items.
EXAMPLES of some of the items that are sold at ReStore.
8022 US 49, Gulfport 39501 228.678.9100 www.hfhmgc.com/restore Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
HOW TO DONATE
Restore Mississippi Gulf Coast accepts most items for home improvement as tax-deductible donations. To schedule a free pickup, call today. You can also fill out a donation form online at www.hfhmgc.com/restore/donate.
ITEMS HABITAT LOVES
Appliances: refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers
Building materials: roofing, siding, architectural items
Cabinets & countertops Doors & windows
Flooring: tile, hardwood, laminate
Furniture: sofas, dressers, tables, chairs
Hardware & tools
Home décor
Lawn & garden
Lighting & electrical
Lumber & trim
Plumbing: bathtubs, toilets, sinks
22 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • August 2017
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