By Dominic Abassi

Mid-Island Habitat chapter opening 2nd ReStore in Duncan

Feb 18, 2018 | 9:20 PM

NANAIMO — Barely two months removed from a hugely successful year, a Nanaimo-based charity is ready to expand their brand.

Habitat for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island opens their second ReStore location in downtown Duncan on March 1, marking their first foray outside the Nanaimo area. In the spring, Habitat also plans to break ground on a duplex in Duncan.

“We certainly see the ReStore (in Nanaimo) is incredibly successful. We’re one of the top performing locations, typically within the top five per cent of the 100 stores across Canada,” Rob Hallam, Habitat executive director told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Hallam said while the vast majority of their previous efforts focused on Nanaimo, their coverage area runs from Duncan to Bowser and out to the West Coast.

“Duncan is the next large population centre and is very much underserved with regards to ReStore type operations.”

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ReStores take donations and then re-sell a wide variety of affordable new and gently used home furnishings, appliances, lighting, plumbing, hardware and building materials.

The store diverts “a tonne” of material from landfills every year, Hallam said.

“The ReStore also covers off all of the administration overhead…The net proceeds go towards building homes. There’s a real link between the success of the ReStore and our ability in a community to build homes.”

The Mid-Island Habitat chapter closed out 2017 by completing their goal of building 20 homes by 2020 ahead of schedule. Their first ever neighbourhood project, Meadow Hill on Extension Rd., recently added a playground for the 15 children among the six families now living there.

“The (families) are supporting each other and it’s become its own little nucleus of activity,” Hallam said.

He said they will meet with Council in March to discuss their next Nanaimo project.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi