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Bringing Hope from Recent Unrest

Habitat MidOhio and SWACO team up to acquire and repurpose plywood used during the recent protests in downtown Columbus. 

                        

COLUMBUS, Ohio — August 2020; Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio ReStore employees were in downtown Columbus this month retrieving much of the plywood Columbus business owners used to board up windows in the wake of the recent protests in our city. SWACO — the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio — has a mission to improve Franklin County’s solid waste stream through effective reduction, recycling and disposal. Earlier this month, SWACO was approached about diverting the wood from area landfills and reached out to Habitat to see if the wood could be reused in some way. 

The wood will be resold in Habitat MidOhio’s ReStores, diverting the material away from area landfills and providing hope for families in need of affordable housing solutions. 

“SWACO is pleased to be able to connect these two important community partners in a shared goal of diverting this material from the landfill and putting it to good use by helping to provide affordable housing for residents and families,” said Hanna Greer-Brown, SWACO’s communication manager.

Habitat MidOhio ReStores play an important role in the effort to combat the affordable housing challenge in central Ohio.  Donations are sold and the proceeds help to offset most of Habitat MidOhio’s administrative costs — so cash contributions go directly toward building homes and revitalizing communities. 

Donating new or used home goods and materials enables Habitat MidOhio to offer a steady stream of available goods to the general public. This effort supports Habitat MidOhio's commitment to serve upwards of 100 families annually in central Ohio. 

“Our business model reduces landfill reliance as items are donated — instead of discarded — resold and sometimes even repurposed, thus preventing durable, reusable materials from needlessly going to waste in local landfills to the tune of almost 1,600 tons annually, noted Habitat Pres. & CEO E.J. Thomas. We are grateful that SWACO thought of us and are looking forward to using the donations to help our neighbors in central Ohio!”

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