5 Wins of Habitat for Humanity Stores

habitat for humanity
Donating items to Habitat stores is easy, with free pick-up service that can be scheduled online. Photo courtesy: Habitat for Humanity.
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Recently a customer walked into a Habitat for Humanity Store looking to replace a bay window. At a local retail outlet, the quote he was given was $1,800. At the Habitat store, the same window was on sale for $200 – plus they were having a 50% off sale. “It saved him $1700,” says Shawna Dutton, South Sound Habitat for Humanity Marketing Development Manager.  “People who shop at our stores can usually save between 50% and 90% on whatever they’re buying.”

habitat for humanity
Customers can save between 50% and 90% on home building, repair, and furnishing items at Habitat stores in West Olympia and Yelm. Photo courtesy: Habitat for Humanity.

Saving money is just one of the benefits of supporting Habitat stores, which offer new and gently used items like doors, windows, paint, and furniture. “Anything that you could use to repair, build, or furnish a home is what we sell,” says Dutton. The West Olympia Habitat store is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and the Yelm store is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Win # 1: Environmental Benefits. For the ecologically conscious, one of the biggest pluses is reducing three tons of landfill waste each year. “We divert goods from local landfills and keep them both reusable and in our community,” says Dutton. According the Environmental Protection Agency, 9.8 million tons of furniture alone ends up in landfills every year.

Win #2: Supporting New Homes. Shopping at the store also builds community – literally, says Dutton. “All proceeds from store sales are used to help build houses in our community as well as cover costs. Any time anyone donates, 100% goes directly to building homes and covering our overhead and administrative costs. That goes for both individual and community donations.”

Win #3: Saving Money (see above).

habitat for humanity
On December 10 and 11 families (and pets!) can get a free picture with Santa and kids will receive a book from the South Sound Reading Foundation at the West Olympia store. Photo courtesy: Habitat for Humanity.

Win #4: Volunteer Opportunities. The stores are entirely powered by volunteers, including local high school students earning community service hours, senior citizens, and participants in back-to-work programs like WorkSource as well as juvenile diversion and restorative justice organizations. “We give people a fun place to complete their community service,” says Dutton. “For a lot of high school students, it’s hard to find a job without any experience. Through our stores, they get retail experience and if they do a good job, we’re able to write them a letter of recommendation and they have a leg up on finding that first job.”

For senior citizens, the stores provide an opportunity to give back to the community and do meaningful work. “They can develop new friends and relationships and be out and about,” says Dutton.

habitat for humanity
Children will also have the opportunity to decorate gingerbread cookies provided by the San Francisco Street Bakery on December 10 and 11 at the Olympia location. Photo courtesy: Habitat for Humanity.

Win #5: Donating Is Easy.  Donating to Habitat stores is both easy and convenient, with tax deductible receipts and free pick-up service. “If someone has a large window or a couch, they can go online and schedule our truck to pick it up at no cost,” says Dutton.

 

For the third year running, the West Olympia store will be offering free pictures with a professional Santa on December 10 and 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. “We invite the whole family to come in,” says Dutton. “Pets are also welcome.” The San Francisco Street Bakery will be supplying gingerbread cookies for children to decorate and take home. Additionally, the South Sound Reading Foundation will be on hand and every child that visits will leave with a new book. “We welcome everybody to come in and have a holiday event with their family,” says Dutton.

For more information about South Sound Habitat for Humanity, visit www.spshabitat.org or call 360-956-3456.

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