Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Waterloo has launched its Winter Appliance Drive, seeking donations of electric and gas appliances that people and businesses no longer need.
“Appliances must be in working condition and free of debris,” ReStore said in a social media post on the drive. “Sorry, we can’t accept propane or vented gas appliances.”
ReStores are nonprofit home improvement stores staffed by volunteers that sell new and used building supplies and home goods donated by businesses and community members to support the mission of the local Habitat for Humanity.
The first ReStore was founded by five Habitat volunteers in the Canadian city of Winnipeg in 1991. They wanted to combine a donation center that would divert usable building supplies and other home items from ending up in landfills, a discount store to help people with their home improvement projects and a new source of revenue to support Habitat’s work building affordable homes. The store quickly became a success, and there are now more than 1,000 ReStores in six countries.
Donations can be dropped off at the Waterloo ReStore (4107 Hammond Ave) during business hours. The store is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Like everywhere else, ReStore normal hours will be affected by this month’s holidays. Those changes can be found on the store’s site and Facebook page.
ReStore is also offering free pick-up of donated appliances in Black Hawk, Bremer, Butler and Buchanan counties. Pick-ups can also be arraigned in Grundy County for donors who are more than 20 miles from the store. Pick-ups typically happen two weeks after they are requested. Anyone interested in scheduling a free pick-up should call ReStore at 319-883-3331 or email Jenny McCollough, ReStore’s donations manager.
“When you shop, all the proceeds from the ReStore are used to fund Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity’s mission to build homes, communities, and hope in Black Hawk, Butler, Bremer, and Buchanan counties,” ReStore explains on its site.
