
On March 14th, I had the pleasure of once again volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of Washington County. Last year I got to help re-organizing their storage spaces, and this year I was thrilled to be able to work with Rick and his wonderful staff at the ReStore.
Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller in Atlanta, Georgia. Unlike popular thought, Habitat for Humanity does not give away homes. Instead, the partner families invest hundreds of hours by working alongside other volunteers and Habitat homeowners. This “sweat equity” helps all Habitat families get into the home of their dreams. Once their home is complete, the new homeowner purchases the home through an affordable mortgage payment plan directly through Habitat.
I first got involved with Habitat for Humanity of Washington County 3 years ago, and I am still serving on the Women’s Build committee. We are currently building our first Women’s build house in NWA in over 15 years, and hope to see its completion this summer.
The Habitat ReStore is a wonderful place to shop, whether you are a builder or contractor, or just like to search for that diamond in the rough. They have everything from plumbing and electrical supplies, to household items such as dishes, home décor, furniture, and gardening supplies. And they have the most wonderful selection of books I have seen!
My main job during my time at the ReStore was reorganizing the book section. They had just recently gotten a donation from a local library, and had a palate of books to add to the shelves. Whether you are looking for fiction, biographies, how-to books, cookbooks, or self help, they have it all. And it is a bit more organized after my 7 hours of unpacking and shelving all those great resources.
I also got to meet a lot of the customers during my day at the ReStore. People come from all over to shop in Fayetteville, traveling from Oklahoma for a dishwasher, or from Russellville to get some furniture for their new home. All of the customers had one thing in common—they were there to shop, donate, and support Habitat for Humanity Washington County.
For more information, or to donate or volunteer, please call Judy at 479-575-9696, or visit their website at www.habitatwashingtoncoar.org. If you are working on a home project, or just looking for a great bargin…please don’t forget to visit the ReStore, located at 1421 East 15th Street in Fayetteville.