More from Buccini/Pollin Group to come

Almost everything we picked up from the Buccini/Pollin Group donation has been priced and put on the sales floor.  We had an entire tractor trailer packed with furniture plus we picked up furniture in our own truck.

The furniture has been selling fast.  We plan on making a few trips this coming week to pick up more of the furniture from the donation.  There is still furniture from The Residences at City Center to be picked up.       This week we will also be getting items from five apartments in Justinson Landing that Buccini/Pollin Group is renovating.

Newark Hotel Donation

We have received a donation from a hotel in Newark that is renovating.  So far we have gotten floor and desk lamps, mirrors, and wall paper.  We expect to receive granite countertops soon.

Furniture donation from Buccini/Pollin Group

The ReStore has picked up part of a large furniture donation from The Buccini/Pollin Group.  BPG owns The Residences at City Center, which provides extended stay accommodations in Wilmington.  The building is being renovated and much of the furniture in the rooms has been only lightly used or is new.

We have a trailer tightly packed with furniture that was picked up last week.  There is more available that we will be getting over the next few weeks.  We will start to get this furniture out on the sales floor in the next week.  The donation includes living room (coffee tables, end tables, arm chairs, etc) and bedroom (dressers, bed frames, nightstands, etc.) furniture.

Just a small sample of the furniture received from Buccini/Pollin Group

Once again we have been fortunate to have Dunkley Discount Movers to assist us.  To pick up this much furniture would not have been possible for our small staff.  Spencer Dunkley and his crew were able to help us load an entire trailer in one day.

Buccini/Pollin Group has been very generous to Habitat and the ReStore over the years.  The company is involved in real estate acquisition, development, and management in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Donation from Sobieski Inc.

Sobieski Inc. dropped off a donation of Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps.  These brand new units are made by Comfortmaker are available now for sale at the ReStore.  Sobieski has been a generous donor to Habitat and the Habitat ReStore over the years.  We have been very fortunate to have their support.

Sobieski is a leading plumbing and HVAC installation and repair company.  Headquartered in Wilmington, DE, the company has locations in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

Windows donation from P J Fitzpatrick

P. J. Fitzpatrick dropped off a donation of new windows this past week.  We are in the process of measuring and pricing all of them to get them on the sales floor.  The windows come in a variety of sizes and shapes.  P. J. Fitzpatrick has been a generous supported of Habitat and the ReStore.  We have gotten many doors and windows from them over the years and it is always very high quality.

P. J. Fitzpatrick is a leading home improvement company based in New Castle County.  They serve the entire Delaware Valley.

Next scheduled volunteer orientation

The Habitat ReStore hosts a volunteer seminar every other Wednesday at 2pm.  The next one is scheduled for this Wednesday, September 18th.  Our volunteer coordinator, Kathleen, discusses Habitat, its mission, and projects and talks about volunteer opportunities in the organization.  It is a great way to learn about the organization and find out if volunteering for Habitat is right for you.

The ReStore is always looking for volunteers. We need people to help receive and sort items that come into the store, assist customers, and keep shelves stocked. We have a few regular volunteers but are always interested in people who are willing to come on a regular basis who can help price and run the register.

Orientation lasts about one hour and is held in the employee breakroom at the ReStore.

Labor Day Weekend

It has been such a mild summer compared to the last several summers that it doesn't seem like it is ready to end.  The Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end to summer but coincides with transitions at the ReStore as well.  We lose our Americorps and Lutheran Volunteer Volunteers this time of year and tend to get fewer people signing up to volunteer after the summer.

Our LVC member, Tyler, left at the end of July.  His replacement, Sascha, has started and is doing a great job.  Sascha comes from Germany and is adjusting to a new country while learning the ReStore.  We will have three new Americorps starting in the beginning of October.  Of the three we had this past year Hannah has gone on to a procurement position for the Charlotte, North Carolina store,  Alyson is continuing a couple days a weeks until the end of the month, and Yuri has started an internship in architecture so he is only with us on Saturdays now.

During the summer we get a number of high school students signing up to volunteer to fulfill community service requirements.  With school starting again that number will drop off significantly.  We have been having better luck attracting volunteers since moving to our new location in Prices Corner but we still don't have many regular volunteers.  Someone who can come in occasionally is always welcome but we need regular volunteers who learn the way the store operates and can help with tasks like running the register and pricing.