Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore:
Home Goods for a Greater Good
You come for a coffee table, you leave having helped a family build a home. That’s the magic of Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores, a hugely impactful—if lesser-known—part of the nonprofit’s work in helping families build, rehabilitate, and repair their homes. Part donation center, part home improvement store, ReStores sell a wide range of new and gently used items, with proceeds directly supporting Habitat’s work in local communities. “They’re a great way to give back,” says Jeremy Keen, ReStore’s Expertise Hub Director. “Whether you’re shopping or donating, every item is an opportunity to make a difference.”
Launched in 1991 by five volunteers in Winnipeg, Canada, the aptly named nonprofit home improvement store now has over a thousand outposts worldwide, from the US to New Zealand. Inside, you’ll find new and gently used items at a far friendlier price than big-box retailers, as well as an impressively diverse range of goods—everything from furniture, decor, and appliances to flooring, paint, doors, and much more. The finds can sometimes even rival those from top-tier vintage purveyors, like a pencil drawing that turned out to be a 1918 sketch by Expressionist legend Egon Schiele.
Whether you’re a thrifter or a DIYer, a renovator or simply spring cleaning, supporting ReStores means helping not just your local community, but the planet, too—helping cut down on waste, shrink carbon footprints, and extend the life of materials that might otherwise end up in landfills. Of course, it also helps advance the Habitat for Humanity mission at large: safe, affordable housing for those who need it most—because everyone deserves the opportunity for a better future.
Looking to donate or shop? Check out this handy donation guidelines chart, and click here to find a ReStore location near you.
From now through the end of June, VB Gives Back will be supporting Habitat for Humanity by donating a portion of all online orders and hosting an array of in-store give-back events. Join us in helping empower others through shelter.