Inside the Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Salt Lake City Area Real Estate Podcast with Jodie Osofsky

Today, I’m meeting with Ed Blake from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore to discuss how the organization works, and how you can help them with their amazing cause.

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Today, we’ll be talking with Ed Blake at Habitat for Humanity.
What does Habitat for Humanity do for the community?
Ed: We provide affordable housing for families in need. We don’t give them the house; they get a 30-year, no interest mortgage, and they pay back every cent we give them. Habitat for Humanity also does critical repairs, primarily on homes that are making people sick.
Another service I’d like to talk about is our Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which keeps 781 tons of refuse and turns it into money that comes into our affordable housing program.
A lot of this product is new; people think it’s all used or garbage, but a lot of it is actually brand-new. The story goes quite often that if you come down here and you can’t find what you want, just wait a few days—it’ll come in eventually.
These are all building improvement items for homes. On the real estate side, if you hear about a family that’s going to take out the kitchen as soon as they move in, donate those materials to us. You’ll come down here and sell or donate it—you get a tax write-off for it as well—and we can also send a truck out to pick it up for you.

We provide affordable housing for families in need

If you’re going to to be tearing out your bathrooms or kitchens, contact the ReStore and see if it’s a fit for them to come pick up those materials. You get a tax write-off, and you won’t have to haul it to the dump and pay to get rid of it. They’ll absolutely reuse it. Beyond that, if you’re doing any home projects such as finishing or redoing a bathroom or basement, please stop by the ReStore for any number of supplies. There’s furniture, tile, cabinets, appliances, and much more.
As one last final touch, who gets these Habitat homes?
Ed: The people who get these homes are people in the community who are earning 30% to 60% of the area median income, families in need, and often single parents with their children, which is our largest demographic.
Please keep that in mind, and if you’re looking to volunteer, Habitat for Humanity is always a great entity to work with. They are located at 1276 S 500 W, Salt Lake City, Utah 84107. You can also follow their activities on their Facebook page.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'd be happy to help you.