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<\/a>in the summer of 2014 during Habitat for Humanity\u2019s Home Builders Blitz. (Courtesy of Habitat For Humanity)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Volunteers also built 28 playhouses that went to children in HFH partner families, military children, and other children in need. HFH partners with organizations such as the San Diego Military Family Collaborative, the Escondido Community Child Development Center, The Children\u2019s Initiative, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego to distribute the playhouses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to work in the corporate world, but I love Habitat\u2019s mission,\u201d said Delinda Fugere, who serves on the ReStore staff. \u201cIt\u2019s giving back instead of being greedy on the other end.\u201d<\/p>\n
HFH brings together hard working volunteers and knowledgeable contractors to complete the labor intensive process of home building. Even the new homeowners have to put in \u201csweat equity\u201d \u2013 250 hours of volunteer work per adult applicant, along with being an active part of the homeowners\u2019 association.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love that at Habitat for Humanity, you\u2019re really helping people who want to better their lives,\u201d Bill Yaussy said.<\/p>\n
Yaussy has been a volunteer with HFH for three years, since he served jury duty with someone who also volunteered. He originally started working on a \u201cHome of the Brave,\u201d a new housing unit for veterans in Lakeside, and now works in the ReStore. He is one of 8,229 volunteers who over the course of a year donated their time through construction sites, the office or the ReStore.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe could not function without our volunteers,\u201d ReStore director John Stockman said. \u201cVolunteers help us in every part of what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n What is ReStore?<\/strong><\/p>\n What\u2019s the ReStore? It\u2019s like a consignment store for anything home improvement-related. Tools, flooring, doors, screws, toilets, lamps, appliances \u2013 if it has to do with building or filling a home, the ReStore probably has it. In 2015, ReStore diverted over 39 tons of reusable material from ending up in the landfill to being used for another purpose.<\/p>\n Items come from stores like Lowes and The Home Depot, contractor scraps, home deconstruction and people moving or switching out their interiors. Tiling and windows go fast. ReStore volunteers will pick up items free of charge \u2014 and they have seen the gamut of donations. Yaussy just recently helped bring in a baby grand piano.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a lot more than just building stuff,\u201d Kramer said, sitting in an office furnished by ReStore donations. She\u2019s seen stained glass windows, crepe myrtle and antiques come through the ReStore doors.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s treasure in the ReStore \u2014 you never know what you\u2019re going to find,\u201d Stockman said.<\/p>\n Stockman points out that the ReStore does have a quality criteria for the products that go in the store. Shoppers can expect everything on the shelves or floor to be in good condition.<\/p>\n What won\u2019t happen is items from the ReStore ending up in a HFH new home. Everything that goes into a home the organization is building is brand new. Funding from the ReStore helps purchase product and pay administrative and other costs.<\/p>\n<\/a>