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The ReStore is still looking to complete its regular volunteer crew with a:
Donation Pick-Up Driver for Tuesday, (no CDL necessary) Good with a UHAUL? You should give it a try.
Truck assistants for Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday
(ride along, give directions, help load)
Cashier on Saturday (customer service and working the register)
These shifts are 3-5 hours a week, the same time every week so let us know if this could work in your summer routine.
Take Care,
Molly Enright - Volunteer Coordinator |
HFH Home Builders Blitz
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Five local famillies received keys to their new homes on Southeast Ogden Street at a heart-warming dedication ceremony on Friday afternoon, June 6th. It was the culmination of the 2008 HFH Home Builders Blitz in Portland. Five generous and talented builders participated this year : Buena Vista Custom Homes, Fish Construction NW, Intex Custom Homes, LHL Homes, and Schumacher Custom Homes. In addition, 170 contractors and suppliers donated the labor and materials that made it possible to complete five homes in just one week of practically non-stop hustle.
  Congratulations to all five families, who did their part by putting in 500 hours to Habitat projects. Juana Montelongo currently lives with her three children in a crowded apartment with no hot water for showers and a leaky toilet. Marc Duhamel is a single father with three kids who has dreamed of owning his own home for a long time, but never thought it would happen until he met Habitat. Bilombele Nalukendo lives wirh two of her children in an apartment with mold, sewage, and heating problems. Her new home will enable her to bring her 8-year old autistic son home from foster care. The Tran Family lives with a grandmother in a too-crowded apartment that has mold and a leaky toilet. The Toku Family's six members live in a 2-bedroom apartment with multiple leaks and mildew,
Habitat's Home Builders Blitz took place all over the country from May 31 to June 7. Amazingly, during that brief week, more than 1,000 industry professionals helped 110 HFH affiliates construct 263 new homes. Among the obstacles overcome in some places were tornadoes and record-high heat.
The Blitz concept began in 2002 with a Raleigh, North Carolina, builder and Habitat supporter, who wanted to accelerate the effort to eliminate poverty in his community. The Home Builders Blitz went national for the first time in 2006.
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Did You Know . . . ? |
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· Every year 600,000 families, including 1.35 million children,
experience homelessness in the United States--that's about 1/2
of the homeless.
· In Oregon 61% of the homeless are members of families, and the
typical homeless family is a mother with 2 children under 5.
· 27% of food produced for people in the U.S. is thrown away.
Recovering 5% would feed 4 million people in one day.
· Almost 12% of Oregon's households are food-insecure. The rate
is more than double for households with children as it is for
those without children.
· In the Metro region (Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas
counties), we throw away 180,000 tons of food each year.
· It costs the region $12 million annually to landfill food. That
landfilled food was worth $327 million to a food bank. |
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| Some Facts About Habitat for Humanity |
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Since its founding in 1976, HFH has built 200,000 homes all over
the world for more than one million people.
There are more than 2,300 HFH affiliates in 100 countries,
including in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, and Guam.
HFH builds homes with, not for, people. Homeowners put in 500
"sweat equity" hours in the building of their houses.
The Portland Metro HFH is the oldest HFH affiliate on the
West Coast.
The local HFH has built more than 130 homes in Portland in its
over 20 years of existence. |
| Contract Furnishings Mart |
For more than 25 years Contract Furnishings Mart (CFM) has been doing business by building relationships. The company belongs to 22 trade organizations, and supports a wide variety of community groups, including Habitat for Humanity.
Bill Cogdall Sr. spent 18 years as a
home builder and land developer before he and his son, Bill Jr., started CFM, a wholesale flooring and countertop materials
business, in 1981. The company serves small and mid-size builders,
remodelers, installers, interior designers, and income property
owners. From a single eastside showroom, Contract Furnishings Mart
(CFM) has grown to encompass nine locations in Oregon and Washington. It is one
of the largest interior product merchants in the Northwest, featuring
carpet, vinyl flooring, hardwood, tile, ceramic, and laminate
flooring.
 Bill Cogdall Jr. (photo by S. Frazier)
Is there a secret to CFM's success? "We have no commission sales people," suggests Bill Jr. "Every customer gets the same price, from one price book. Most sales people in the industry are on commission." They also provide ongoing training to their employees.
How is the current housing crisis affecting their business? "We heard rumors that there's a recession, but we decided not to participate," jokes Steve Frazier, marketing director. "We focus on remodelers," adds Bill Jr. more seriously. We're feeling it a little, but we're not suffering. We're still busy."
CFM sponsors youth sports teams and puts on about 85 events each year for customers and their families. The company's involvement with Habitat for Humanity started so long ago that Bill can't remember when it was--probably more than 10 years ago. "We quit taking returns from customers a long time ago," he explains. "Instead we gave them the option to put things in a bin for the ReStore at five of our locations. Our customers feel good about donating. It's a win-win for everyone." CFM is also a major supplier of building materials for the construction of Habitat homes.
 Sign on bin at 5 CFM stores
For more information, visit CFM's web site.
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Upcoming Events
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June 14: Impact Film Festival, 7-11pm
Hollywood Theater, NE 41st and Sandy Blvd, Pdx.
This one-evening festival will
feature four short documentary
films (Intersection Repair, The True Cost of Food, The New
Dream,
The Appalachians); a panel discussion about
the
intersections of environment, community, and public health;
and the feature film, "The Power of Community: How
Cuba Survived Peak Oil". Sponsored by the Sierra Club and
the National College of Natural Medicine. $7.
June 22: Portland Sunday Parkways, 8am-2pm
A six-mile, circular route, in North Portland, of city
streets closed to cars for walking, biking, running,
roller-blading, dancing, etc. A pilot project that will
feature a variety of activities. Initiated by the
Portland Dept of Transportation and Parks & Rec, with
a grant from thre EPA. Many community partners.
For more info, visit this website.
June 26: Red, White & Blueberry Festival, 3:30-7:30pm
EcoTrust Farmers Market, 721 NW 9th Ave, Pdx.
Sponsored by the Organic Family of Farms
Celebration of berries grown in our region. More than
1,000 complimentary fresh berry shortcakes to be
dished out to customers with a minimum of $5 purchase
at any market vendor. Also, bluegrass music, kids'
craft activities, and chef demos. FarmersMkt Website.
June 30: Basics of Going Solar @ OMSI's Science Pub
7-9pm, Adults only.
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan, Pdx.
Presented by Solar Oregon.
No reservations--First come, first served.
For more info, call 503-797-4517.
   
July 13: Gardens of Natural Delights Tour, 10am-4pm
Sponsored by Metro. View backyards of successful
home gardeners who use chemical-free techniques.
The tour will include 14 flower gardens, 10 really
green lawns, 10 edible gardens, 10 naturescapes,
and more. For more info, and to sign up,
call 503-234-3000.
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Please Give Us Feedback!
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Please let us know what you think of the ReStore Newsletter. Are you finding useful information and/or resources? Do you have ideas for articles you would like us to do? Are there aspects of the newsletter that you think need improvement. Please help us make this newsletter better. Contact robin@pdxrestore.org with your thoughts. Thank you!
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RESTORE HOURS
Tuesday through Saturday
9am-5pm | |
June 2008
