What do you get when you mix six vacant houses with a hefty dose of community mindedness? According to Davy Davidson of the El Dorado County Habitat for Humanity, you get over a year’s worth of donated, usable construction material. “Thanks to Marshall and Carter/Kelly, we received more donations in a few days than we would normally get in a year,” said Davidson, construction superintendent for the Habitat’s local charitable efforts – securing scarce affordable land and building homes for specially qualifying families.

He’s referring to the background story behind the huge donation. As part of its upcoming expansion project, Marshall Medical Center had purchased several nearby homes around its hospital campus in Placerville to make room for construction work. The homes would need to be demolished, but it seemed a waste not to take advantage of interior resources such as cabinets, bricks and other construction basics. Long time El Dorado County General Contractor Carter/Kelly, Inc. is leading the construction project, and in a planning meeting with Marshall representatives, the idea came up to see if Habitat for Humanity might have any use for the materials inside the homes. Carter/Kelly’s Roy Jorgenson made the call – and promptly found that the charitable organization did indeed have an interest in removing usable items, to stock its retail store in Placerville, which is open to the public.

“Our ‘ReSTORE’, located on Industrial Drive, off Missouri Flat Rd., has 10,000 square feet of construction materials and interior basics that have been donated,” Davidson explained. “We sell the materials at a substantial discount to the public, whether they’re contractors or not, and our inventory changes daily.” Funds from the ReSTORE contribute to home construction. Davidson, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for nearly 25 years, said he appreciates it when people think of his organization when dealing with unwanted items during demolition or remodeling, rather than just discarding the materials.

Marshall and Carter/Kelly are working with Habitat for Humanity to remove usable items from four additional Marshall-owned homes prior to demolition.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1 million people.

Contrary to a common misconception, Habitat homes are not given away. Recipient families must earn a certain income making them eligible for a special mortgage, as well as contribute a minimum of 500 “sweat equity” hours into the construction of their new home.

In El Dorado County, the organization is currently working to secure a six-acre parcel of land in El Dorado, in the hopes of eventually building 18 new homes. Its last project was completed in Pollock Pines.

For information about donating items to the ReSTORE, or to find out more about the retail store, call (530) 621-2111, ext 105 Tuesday through Saturday.