The Clark County Habitat for Humanity Store certified as a Green Business in 2016. As a reseller of building materials, furniture and home goods, the Habitat for Humanity Store accepts donations from the general public and business community, which keeps materials from going to the landfill and generates revenue to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to the items they sell, the store has an advanced recycling system in which they collect block foam, rigid plastic, various types of scrap metals, and wood. The Vancouver location is part of the Portland Metro network of ReStores, with other stores located in Portland, Beaverton, and Gresham. Just this last year, the stores diverted over 5,000 tons of material from the landfill.
Since starting in October, store manager Angela Sims, has taken on many of the store's sustainability efforts. She has been regularly working with the store staff and volunteers to improve their practices and come up with new ideas for projects. One of Angela's goals for this next year is to go completely zero waste. Currently, items that they cannot sell go into a free pile or end up being sent to the landfill, so Angela would love to connect with other organizations to take these materials. As part of this goal, she also hopes to improve their already robust recycling system and find a more efficient and less expensive way to recycle wood.
Due to COVID-19, the Habitat for Humanity Store has been closed until recently. On June 4th, they reopened for sales and can accept donations again. Folks can still purchase furniture, building materials, and more on their online store and pick them up at their ReStore warehouse in Portland.
The Clark County Green Business program is so happy to have the Habitat for Humanity Store as a member of our community. Keep up the good work!