Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia recently opened its newest ReStore in Philadelphia, a used home furnishings and building materials store that collects donated home items in decent condition and sells them at modest prices. Shamil Manek and I went to help out at ReStore's grand opening two weeks ago, where we were quickly welcomed by music, dough-nuts, and the store's fun and energetic staff. While store traffic may have been a bit slower than the staff expected, there was no shortage of shoppers strolling down the aisles and browsing through the store's donated wares – ranging from sofas and ta-bles to sinks and file cabinets. While there, Shamil and I were charged with transporting large items, such as file cabinets, to customers' vehicles, as well as wiping down furniture sets. The most amazing part about Habitat's undertaking with ReStore is that all of the profits are used to construct affordable housing in the community. It demonstrates the organization's ability to find innovative ways to provide the local community with both affordable home items and affordable housing.
