Habitat for Humanity ReStore re-opens

 In Business

Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Collingwood has opened its doors to the public.
“We have worked hard to ensure that measures are in place to ensure a safe shopping experience,” said Joy Fleury, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity South Georgian Bay. “We are enforcing physical distancing and encourage folks to come on their own and not as part of a group. Staff and volunteers will be wearing masks and ask that customers also wear face covering while in the store for everyone’s safety. If folks don’t have their own mask, we have disposable masks available for a small donation to offset our cost.”
Habitat is also asking shoppers to sanitize as they come in and during their visit. A generous donation of hand sanitizer from Heretic Spirits, an exciting new craft distillery in Collingwood who switched production from gin and vodka to hand sanitizer to meet the needs of their community during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Their community generosity is so heartwarming – the offer brought tears to my eyes because it meant we could re-open safely during a time when there’s a shortage of sanitizer,” said Fleury.
The ReStore has also implemented rigorous cleaning and sanitizing standards, a tempered glass shield at the cash counter, changes to foot traffic flow and limits on number of shoppers at a time to ensure adequate spacing – lots of things that the charity is really optimistic about in terms of keeping everyone safe.
“We switched gears into a health and safety lens to make sure when we reopen our ReStore, we are following the best practices to make sure that our staff, our customers, our donors, our volunteers and anyone who interacts with our ReStore are safe and sound,” said Fleury.
Habitat ReStore accepts gently used or new furniture and resells is at a fraction of the price. All profits go to helping build homes for low income local families in need of affordable housing.
The store will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations of product are welcome, but will be quarantined for a few days, cleaned / disinfected before being put out for sale. There will also be driveway, curbside or garage pick up available for larger items (contact the store to schedule at 705-446-9740 or restore@habitatgeorgianbay.ca.)
At this time, all kitchen removals through the salvage program are on hold, but kitchen cabinets and appliances will still be picked up free of charge.
Reopening the Habitat ReStore will allow Habitat to continue the essential salvage and recycling work that provides the funds to continue to build homes in South Georgian Bay. Habitat had two properties that they are working to rezone and sever so they can build four more houses for local families in need.
Habitat for Humanity is committed to creating safe, affordable places for families to call home. The ability to provide services to local families and vulnerable members of our community depends on financial support.
“The ReStore is part of that financial equation, but we also rely on funding from the community,” said Fleury. “The urgent call for physical distancing and home isolation has brought to light the dire need for safe and decent housing.”
This global health crisis has impacted Habitat for Humanity in their ability to fundraise for builds, family mortgage supports and other programs with the closure of their ReStore for the past two-and-a-half months and the cancellation of their annual golf tournament, their only fundraising event of the year. Habitat families are people you may not recognize as needing help with housing – the grocery clerk making sure you have food, the waitress at your local restaurant, the day care worker teaching your kids online, the PSW taking care of your elderly parents – these are the kind of local families we support and partner with. To continue serving local low income families in need, they need to make up the shortfall.
To consider making a tax deductible donation to Habitat, please visit www.habitatgeorgianbay.ca/donate or contact 705-446-9542 or joy@habitatgeorgianbay.ca.

Recent Posts

Leave a Comment

0