Old doors can be fun too!

By Catie Hoffman, ReStore Volunteer 

One of the great things about volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is that it has made me see just how many “old” or ”broken” or “used” household things can be repurposed into something “new” or “fun.”

If you have ever come to the ReStore, right as you walk in, to the left we have our bulletin boards that was created out of old drawers. You can easily turn old drawers into a fun project for kids or even just for you. First start off my picking which drawers you would like to use. Maybe you have some old drawers from an old dresser or cabinets at home, but if you don’t, we do have a large selection for you to choose from at the ReStore to create a fun shelf/bulletin board. Next, pick what color you want your project to be and paint or stain the drawers however you would like. Blue and green are the ReStore colors so we went with those but you can always choose a more natural or rustic look and sand and stain them. After painting or staining them you are pretty much done. If you want it to be a bulletin board you can take pieces of cork board and glue then to the inside of the drawer. Finally, just choose where you would like to set or hang your new shelves or bulletin board. Ta-da you just turned an old drawer into a beautiful, and fun, hanging shelf and/or bulletin board! 

Drawers at the ReStore! 

The ReStore always has tons of donated doors and paint. So my sister and I came up with the idea to make a game table out of one of the used doors here. First you have to choose what color you want to do your game table. Now if you are overachievers, like my sister and I, you could also chose a theme. We chose Batman Forever because that is her husband’s favorite movie. Now based on what you decide you want your game table to be used to play will determine the rest. You could cut some holes in it and use it as a bean-sack throw and use it at a school or church carnival. You could turn it into a smaller ping pong table depending on the shape or size of the door. There are so many different options. We used our door to make a ping pong table & bowling table. First we taped off a triangle on either end of the table and painted the middle black. One side got painted green and the other got painted silver. After all of that paint dried, on the green side we painted the Batman symbol and on the silver side we painted the Riddler’s symbol. In the middle we painted a giant Batman/Riddler symbol. Once the paint was dry we used a clear coat lacquer to seal the paint on the door. Finally, we used old collapsible legs from an old picnic table and screwed them on the back of the door. Now our table hangs in the garage as a decoration when it is not being used and when we do want to use it we take it of its hooks pull out the legs and it’s time to play! 

Door before! 

Door after! 

Journey of Hope Gala - Building Hope for American Heroes

By Heidi Lai

Perhaps one of the most saddening aspects of this world today is the fact that there are many veterans unable to find a home. Instead, they are “crashing on relatives’ couches”, as Khoz Jivanjee will tell you. “A lot of veterans come back and they have some financial difficulties or hardships,” Khoz explains. That is why Habitat for Humanity held the Journey of Hope Gala on Friday, March 22, in the University Hall at the University of Redlands. “We really want to help this demographic.” Khoz was the event coordinator, and a previous volunteer and member of the Resource Development Committee for Habitat for Humanity.

           

The Gala was held to raise money for our veterans, so that their living situations could be improved. Although, this was only the second time the Journey of Hope Gala took place, it was a big hit amongst event guests. A total of 170 people attended this year’s Gala.

The night was spent in style. There was delicious food—provided by Bon Appetit—that included an elaborate, three-course meal, with the addition of a Hors d-oeuvre Station. The appetizers ranged from a triple layer crostini with hummus, olive tapenade, and tomato basil bruschetta; a breadbasket filled with orange walnut muffins, bacon cheddar biscuits, and ciabatta rolls; a salad with balsamic vinaigrette and honey poppyseed dressing; to avocado egg rolls with Thai dipping sauce and Asian slaw. As for the entrees, the food was nothing less than spectacular. The main dishes included a chicken francaise with mashed potatoes and vegetables, and a roasted spinach and Portobello mushroom stuffed with basil pesto.  As for dessert, the delicious maple walnut cake did not disappoint. Besides all these mouth-watering dishes, there was also a full bar for the attendees’ enjoyment.

           

Asides from the delicious food, events of the night included a silent auction which was popular amongst all the evenings’ guests. The event was MC’d by Mayor of San Bernardino, Pat Morris; evening speakers included: San Bernardino County 5^th District Supervisor Josie Gonzales who delivered the Keynote speech; followed by Health Care for Homeless Veterans Coordinator, Melissa Conrad of the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System. Lastly, Dennis Baxter, Rhea Stumm, and Maritza Solis presented on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. Furthermore, Habitat volunteers Sara L. Long and Richard Ramirez were awarded at the Gala for their dedication and service to Habitat for Humanity, and the volunteer groups Starshine Treatment Center and Inland Empire Job Corps Center also received recognition. Live music was provided by Over Easy, a group made up of University of Redlands graduates.

This event was a great success and would not have been possible without our attendees and most of all, our event sponsors—Dr. Deborah Rada, Bank of America, and Citizens Business Bank. If you missed the Gala this year, come on out next year to join in on all the fun!

Check out the photos below! All photos provided by Tim G. Dull.

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

Photo by Tim G. Dull

            

Photo by Tim G. Dull

How to Choose a Contractor

By Matt Le Vesque

First, make sure the contractor has a license. Why? Because if he does, he will also have a license bond. That means that if you end up in a dispute, you will have a chance to collect on the bond (up to $12,500) if the contractor flakes out. Also, generally, it means the contractor presumably knows enough to pass a licensing test.

Second, do some homework on the contractor. Go online to see if the license matches his story. "Contractors" have been known to use other people's licenses or maybe "forget" to mention that they have a long list of consumer complaints.

I can't begin to tell you all the horror stories I've heard or written reports about.

Third, check some references. Naturally, if you ask anyone for a reference they aren't going to have you call their worst customer, right? So, go beyond calling the friends and relatives of the person you're planning to let into your house.

Ask contractors what they've been working on the last several months and call those people. Recent past is much more predictive of the near future, right?

Fourth, get it in writing. A home improvement contract is a very detailed document that should be several to dozens of pages. There should be a complete description of the work and lots of details. If there are plans, they should be professionally prepared and approved by the local building department. And no licensed contractor should tell you that permits are not required. They should be able to prove they're not required.

Fifth, don't hear what you want to hear. This goes hand-in-hand with number four. Someone may appeal to your more frugal side (cheapness) by telling you that you can save money by not getting plans, permits or inspections. As far as I'm concerned, that's akin to selling or receiving stolen property. If you want a "deal" like that, be prepared to pay the consequences. Chances are very good that you're being conned.

That leads to number six, which is all about money. I wouldn't go with the cheapest bid. There's usually a reason they're cheap and I also suggest being careful about keeping work in line with payments. I don't recommend giving down payments and will only make a payment when a major milestone or inspection is complete. Basically, if it doesn't seem right, ask more questions.

Number seven is the most important item: Communicate. Have an open and honest, business-oriented communication. You're not pals or buddies. You're not a shoulder to cry on and neither is the contractor. Keep it professional and you will generally get professional results. If you get to be friends after the job, that's great too.

Volunteer with Habitat!

By Heidi Lai

Nowadays, it can be hard to find an organization worthy of your time and effort. After all, in a lot of organizations, you don’t see direct results in the things you care about. And more importantly, you don’t see direct results in your COMMUNITY. But you’ll find that Habitat for Humanity is different, in that all your time and energy will be well spent. If you volunteer for Habitat, you’ll be helping out the people in need in your local community, and making your very own community a better place. “Everybody comes to volunteer for a different reason. Some people are trying to make friends, some people are trying to learn a skill, some people are trying to get to know the area,” Maritza Solis, the volunteer coordinator at Habitat, says. “But volunteering gives you a sense of fulfillment. When you help other people and you see that it's making a difference in your community…it just brings a smile to your face.”

         

Lee Peterson, who was been a volunteer for Habitat since October of last year, completely agrees. “It’s rewarding, fun, and it feels good at the end of the day,” he says. Truly, the benefits of working at Habitat are endless. First of all, having a good and enjoyable time is guaranteed, because you have a whole number of options to choose from when volunteering. All you have to do is pick what suits you! For example, Lee’s already done almost everything one could possibly do at Habitat. He’s worked in the ReStore, been apart of the marketing committee, and also worked on site, helping out with constructing the houses. Besides those options, you can also choose working in the office. You see, you have plenty of options as a volunteer as to what you want to do, and each has its own unique perks.

         

1. Volunteering at the ReStore:

“Working in the ReStore is really nice; it’s really laidback. Everyone's working to do a good job and keep the place clean and help out the customers,” Lee says. Working in the ReStore is just like working in a store. It includes stocking, cleaning, sorting items, and helping out the customers, according to Solis. If you’re a people person and would love to interact with others on a daily basis, working at the ReStore would be the perfect choice for you. You only need to be 14 or older to volunteer.

2. Volunteering at the Office:

Are you interested in future receptionist-like careers? Perhaps volunteering at the office would be the right thing to do. Volunteering involves typing, filing, and answering calls, in a nice, quiet office atmosphere.

3. Committees:

The volunteers run committees online. There are separate committees for specialized purposes. For example, there’s a committee for marketing, a committee for family selection, and a committee for construction. Committees are a perfect way to meet new people and take leadership roles.

4. Volunteering On Site:

“At the build, you get to meet the family you're directly helping, you get to see the before and after, and you can see all the improvements made,” Lee says. And he’s absolutely right. Working on site is as “direct” as you can get to helping out your community via Habitat for Humanity. Here, you literally help build the house of a family in need. This may include painting, framing, etc. No experience is necessary. "Even if your skills are limited, or you have no construction experience, you don't need any because we have a construction director that will guide you through it,” Solis says. In fact, she has first-hand experience with construction. She actually joined Habitat as a construction volunteer! “I actually wanted to learn more about construction because I had no real experience,” she says.

So you see? You have many, many options to choose from, when it comes to volunteering for Habitat. And the best part is, you will feel absolutely great after volunteering. Maritza still remembers her very first Habitat volunteer experience: “At the end of the day, when I met the home owners, the first home owners I met, they were just so…thankful. And it just makes you feel really good that you're helping someone. They were just so filled with joy. I felt like I had accomplished something.” And Lee has only positive things to say as well: “Anyone I run into, I mention Habitat because it's just a good environment. All the people you work with are really nice and really driven to help others. It's a super fun place and a great place to spend some time and help other people out,” Lee says. These two people are only two examples out of many, many more. But every person counts, and Maritza is very aware of that fact. “Volunteers are the foundation of our organization. Without them, we wouldn't be able to do half of what we do,” she says passionately. So the question is, how do you volunteer? It’s super simple and super easy.

HERE’S HOW:

1. Call the Habitat for Humanity office at 909-478-1176 or go into the office. All you need to do is fill out a little bit of paperwork, and you’re good to go!

           OR

2. Go onto the Habitat for Humanity website: http://habitatsb.org/. Click on the “Volunteer” tab, then the “Volunteer Up” option to sign up!

So will you open up your mind and arms to the endless benefits of volunteering at Habitat for Humanity? Will you be our next volunteer? You’re only one click, or one phone call away from influencing your local community and improving the lives of the people around you.

Free E-Waste Recycling Event

Drop off all your E-Waste at the Habitat ReStore!

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013

10am – 3pm

25948 Business Center Dr. Redlands, CA 92374

Habitat for Humanity will be teaming up with All Green Electronics Recycling to host an electronic recycling event on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013 from 10am-3pm. The event is free and open to the public and anyone who is interested in disposing their E-waste in a safe and secure environment.

What is E-waste? That dated laptop in your hall closet, that VCR you haven’t used since you got the new DVD player, the dust-covered monitor in your garage, or basically anything with a plug that is unused, obsolete or non-working.

Drop off computers, monitors, printers, TVs, VCRs, stereos, and other electronic equipment–anything with a plug and circuit board will be accepted. All Green will properly recycle the items and proceeds will go back to Habitat for Humanity!

E-waste contains heavy metals such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, mercury and zinc that contaminate our soil and water, and is responsible for 70 percent of all heavy metals found in landfills today. A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency says E-waste in landfills will grow four-fold over the next five years.

Make an end of the year donation today. Together, we can build more homes!

Help us eliminate poverty housing today. Your gift will help make a difference for a family in your community. Please make your tax-deductible gift by December 31, 2012. 

There are hundreds of families looking for a decent place to live in the San Bernardino area. Please give your gift today to help these families find a safe and affordable home that will change their lives and the lives of their children.

Day-by-day, month-by-month, year-by-year, Habitat for Humanity is working to eliminate poverty housing in our neighborhoods and all over the world. Your support to Habitat for Humanity does much more than help families escape from unsafe, unhealthy living conditions. A Habitat house breaks the cycle of poverty and builds long-term financial security for low-income families who work to help themselves.

Thank you for your consideration. Together we will enrich the lives of many low-income families by making the possibility of homeownership a reality.

Together, we can build more homes! Thank you! 

Gifts That Give Back!

Looking for the perfect gift this Holiday season? Give a ReStore Gift Certificate!

You can't go wrong with a gift certificate! ReStore gift certificates are available in many values, from $5.00 and up! For more information, call the ReStore at 909-799-6738. Or ask a ReStore cashier for more info the next time you are in the store. 

Your gift will help Habitat for Humanity build new homes, improving the quality of life for one family, such as the Miller family of Grand Terrace. Read more about the future Habitat for Humanity families. Click here!

The Steen Family's Home - “It’s Perfect”

By Heidi Lai, Habitat Volunteer

Steen family's home with beautiful Christmas lights!

This Christmas, the Steens got to put up Christmas lights for the first time. Many of us take that for granted, but for the Steens, that means a lot. “It was like a dream come true,” Debbie Steen, who lives with her twelve-year old daughter, said.  “My daughter has been asking years and years and years!” And this was all because of Habitat for Humanity.

When it came to housing, Debbie Steen and her daughter had much misfortune. It all started in 2007, when her house caught on fire. “We lost everything,” Debbie recalls. “We barely had clothes on our backs that morning when our house burned up. I don’t even know if my daughter had shoes on.” After the house fire, Debbie and her daughter moved to a townhouse in San Bernardino. But their experience there was traumatic as well. “I lived in a very bad area,” Debbie remembers. “There were lots of shootings, lots of murders.” Luckily for Debbie and her daughter, though, Habitat for Humanity stepped in.

Debbie received a phone call, when she was told that she had been chosen as one of the Habitat families. Habitat for Humanity—and all the wonderful volunteers, of course—would build her a brand new house that would be all her own. Debbie recalls, “I didn’t believe she had the right person initially. She had to call me back for something else and I thought, ‘Oh no, she’s calling to say she called the wrong family.’ It was unbelievable that I had actually been chosen to be in the Habitat family!”

Debbie had a little while to wait before she would finally be able to live in her own house, but it was all worth it. Working with Habitat for Humanity was both “positive” and “humbling.” And watching people from “all different walks of life” pitch in to build HER house really touched Debbie’s heart. “All the volunteers coming out to help just shows how amazing people are,” Debbie said honestly. “It just shows a lot of goodness.” She marvels, “The volunteers didn’t want anything in return; they just wanted to help!” Finally, the house was completed, and Debbie and her daughter moved into their new house. It’s almost been a year now, and Debbie and her daughter are very content and very grateful to Habitat.

“The new house is beautiful and peaceful and quiet,” Debbie said happily. “No gunshots, no helicopters, no people hanging out in front of your house…it’s perfect. It’s perfect for my daughter and me!”  

Home for the Holidays!

The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity Rehabilitate Home for Local Vietnam Veteran

The Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area will partner on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 to provide a local San Bernardino veteran and his family with home repairs and modifications, just in time for the Holidays!

Daniel Equihua is a disabled Vietnam veteran and is in need of major home repairs to get access inside his home, bathroom, and kitchen. Daniel suffered from a severe stroke, which left him in the Intensive Care Unit for 3 months. While in a coma, doctors did not believe he would survive his ordeal. Currently, Daniel visits the VA Hospital for therapy: 2 days for speech therapy and 3 days for physical therapy.

Daniel and Rose Equihua  

Daniel Equihua served in the Army from 1965-1967 during the Vietnam War. Daniel and his wife, Rose, recently celebrated their 39^th wedding anniversary on November 10. They have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren, who also live in their home. 

“I am looking forward to getting back to a normal life. The stroke has been very hard on me and my family. We didn’t think I was going to make it, but I am here and fighting!” Daniel stated enthusiastically. “Thank you for making me feel better. We want to be together in our home and it will be nice to decorate for Christmas with my grandchildren!”

More than 20 Home Depot employees will work alongside Habitat for Humanity to rehabilitate the home. Repairs and modifications will be made in the kitchen, living room, bathroom and the exterior of the home.

"We are excited to partner with The Home Depot Foundation and engage them in our work to help veterans and families in need," said Rhea Stumm, Communications Manager at Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area. “We want to thank The Home Depot Foundation and Home Depot volunteers for their service and dedication to local veterans.”

Not only is The Home Depot contributing countless volunteer hours to this project, but The Home Depot Foundation has also sponsored this project through a generous gift of $17,000. The rehabilitation project is expected to be completed in 1 week.

“On behalf of The Home Depot Foundation, we look forward to working with Daniel Equihua and Habitat for Humanity” said Steven Klein, Team Depot District Captain. “Daniel served and protected our county, and we are honored to help him repair his home in ways he needs to fully recover from the stroke. We can see the fight in him, the perseverance to fully recover.”

A Board Cutting Ceremony (project kick-off event) will take place at 8:30am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012. Construction will commence at 9:00am and will continue through the day until approximately 3:00pm. 

Pictures to come! 

ReStore Workshop

Update - Check out the pictures from the workshop! CLICK HERE! 

Be sure to make it out to our first ever ReStore DIY Workshop on Saturday, November 17 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm! The theme of the workshop will be refurbishing and painting second hand furniture! The event is FREE and it will be instructed by the talented Rebecca Waring-Crane, owner of 2nd Chance Designs. She will show guests how to paint and refurbish an old piece of furniture, and give the piece a new life! Rebecca will be using an item from the ReStore during the workshop.  Hope to see you there!

Don’t dump it! Donate it to the ReStore!

By Heidi Lai, Habitat Volunteer

Do you have old furniture lying around the house? Maybe you have a rug, or a lamp, or a door that’s been left, propped up in the garage? Or perhaps you dived into cleaning out the house over the weekend, and discovered a bucket full of unused hardware and tools. Before throwing anything out, think first of the ReStore. Many families in need in your local community could benefit because of you.

The ReStore works directly with Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for low-income families in the local community. In fact, 100% of the proceeds go directly to helping build houses for families. The ReStore depends on people like you to donate their old home improvement items, which will then be sold up to 50% off to the public, or used directly into the building of families’ homes. You may not think your home improvement items are worth much, but they’re worth a lot to the ReStore. It could mean everything to a family in need.

The ReStore accepts a variety of home improvement items. Chances are, what you have, the ReStore will gladly take. And to make it all even easier, all your donations are tax-deductible. You are only a drive away from helping others in need. You have two, extremely easy and convenient options. You can either drop off your donations at the ReStore - 25948 Business Center Dr. Redlands, CA 92374 - during its opening hours of 9am-6pm, or give the ReStore a call to schedule a FREE pickup (909) 799-6738. Shawn, our donation pickup employee, will be more than happy to pick up your donations.

GET TO KNOW SHAWN!

Shawn is an outgoing guy who would love to pick up your wonderful donations. He loves the outdoors, and has a family of two kids (with one on the way!), two cats, and two dogs. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially by going to rodeos with them. Shawn describes working at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore as “a lot of fun.”  He “enjoys working with (his) co-workers and all the volunteers in the ReStore.” And Shawn knows the impact his job has on the community. “It is great to know that all the work I do in the ReStore is helping families in need in our community,” he said honestly. Shawn would love nothing more than for you to send some donations his way!

The ReStore depends on donations. If you want to see more low-income households receive homes, and more change in the community, please donate!

For more information about the ReStore, call us at (909) 799-6738 or visit www.habitatsb.org/restore

Donate, Shop, Volunteer 

at the 

Tuesday - Saturday 

9am - 6pm

25948 Business Center Dr. Redlands, CA 92374 

Refurbishing a Wooden Coffee Table

DIY with Khoz, Habitat Volunteer!

DIY (Do It Yourself) projects are simple, given the right vision and planning prior to the start of the project! It is best to start out with small projects and work your way up as you become experienced, skilled, and confident at your craft.

Let’s start off with a project that is beginner friendly.

“Refurbishing a wooden coffee table” (coffee table from the Habitat ReStore!!)

Refurbishing a coffee table may seem tough; however, this is a simple project. All in all, this project should take 3 days to complete. 

Before:

After: 

Step 1 Sanding:

The first step would be to take a sander and gently sand down the top layer of the coffee table. You can sand the table down the old fashion way with sanding paper, but this will take a lot of time. I would recommend buying a ¼ inch sander and ¼ inch sanding paper for this project. The sanding time will vary depending on the size and style of the table! The table in the picture above took me roughly 5 hours to completely sand. 

Step 2 Staining:
After sanding, prep the table for staining! Next take a dampened rag and wipe of all the wood dust of the table.  After the wipe down, apply the stain to the table. Some people use a fine paint brush to apply stain; however, I prefer using a rag. Staining is fairly simple and should take 30 minutes to 1 hour to complete depending on the project; be sure to apply the stain in the direction of the wood grain. Make sure to lightly dip the edge of a rag into the stain can and then wipe the rag against the grain of the wood.  If you feel the stain you have applied is not dark enough let the table dry for about 10 minutes and reapply another coat of wood stain. For my DIY coffee table project, I applied two coats of Walnut colored wood stain. Let the stain dry for one full day after finishing the process. 

Step 3 Clear Coat:
For the final step, apply clear coat to the table. Clear coats come in glossy, semi-glossy, or matte options; select the clear coat type based on your preference. I used the matte clear coat on my project; matte is better suited for older/antique furniture. Also, for this step you will need a fine paint brush! 

Apply the clear coat in the direction of the wood grain. You will need to apply three coats in total. After the first coat has been applied, let the coat dry for two hours.  Repeat this step for the second coat. For the third coat wait 24 hours before application.  Before applying the third coat, lightly sand the table.  After applying the third coat, allow the table 48 hours to fully cure before putting into use.

Items needed:

¼ inch sand paper

¼ inch sander

Paint brush

Can of clear coat

Can of stain

Rag/Cloth

Tarp

What We Build!

Join Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area and HELP BUILD IT!

Think you need to swing a hammer to be a Habitat volunteer? Not true! Habitat offers many different volunteer opportunities!

• Volunteer in the ReStore
• Volunteer in the office
• Volunteer during a special event
• Join a volunteer committee

For more information on volunteering with Habitat, please call our office at 909-478-1176 or visit our website at www.habitatsb.org/volunteer. 

Do you have old electronics cluttering up your home?

Drop them off at the Habitat ReStore in Redlands! 

It has been 1 year since Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area teamed up with All Green Electronics Recycling to provide the community with an ongoing drop off center to recycle e-waste. Since then, we have collected a total of 57,819 pounds of e-waste!

Lots of old computers! 

That’s 57,819 lbs. of electronic waste diverted from our local landfills!!

Thank you All Green for this wonderful partnership! And thank you to all the members of the community for recycling responsibly!

What is e-waste? That dated laptop in your hall closet, that VCR you haven’t used since you got the new DVD player, the dust-covered monitor in your garage, or basically anything with a plug that is unused, obsolete or non-working. Members of the community and businesses are encouraged to clean out their garage or attic and recycle their old electronics. Bring all of your old electronics, including, but not limited to: computers, monitors, televisions, printers, mobile phones, laptops, DVD players, VCRs, microwaves, calculators, iPods, cables and wires, telephones, fax machines, scanners, computer parts, and more. All Green Electronics Recycling promises to recycle everything it accepts in North America and to never send electronics to a landfill or overseas for processing.

Drop off all your e-waste at the ReStore - free of charge! 

E-waste contains heavy metals such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, and zinc that contaminate our soil and water, and is responsible for 70 percent of all heavy metals found in landfills today. A recent report by the Environmental Protection Agency says e-waste in landfills will grow four-fold over the next five years.

About All Green Electronics Recycling

All Green Electronics Recycling strives to make responsible electronics recycling easy and efficient. We are a full-service electronics recycler and collector with hundreds of free drop-off locations, and pickup services. All Green Electronics Recycling currently collects over one million pounds of electronics each month and has the capacity to process up to 100 million pounds of electronic waste per year. All of the electronics we collect are processed in North America using our own processing center and other responsible recycler partner facilities. We recycle everything we accept and never send anything overseas for processing. http://www.allgreenrecycling.com/

Welcome!

Welcome to Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area’s blog! The Habitat blog will be a tool to communicate with our volunteers, donors, supporters, and ReStore shoppers! We will be writing about Habitat builds, events, ReStore, and volunteer stories. We would love to hear your Habitat stories and feedback. So, please write to us or leave a comment!

Here at Habitat for Humanity, we have a dynamic staff that focuses on providing affordable housing to families in the San Bernardino area. For our first blog post, we want to put names to faces and meet the people who make Habitat happen!

Meet the Habitat Staff below:

Dennis Baxter

Executive Director

Hello and welcome to our blog! I became a Member of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity in January 2010. In January 2011, I became Board Vice President and in January 2012, I became President. I voluntarily stepped down as President in September 2012 to accept the position of Executive Director! My past experience has included Elected City Official, where I served as Chair of the Grant Committee, on the RDA Committee, and the CDBG Funding Committee. I have also been a Radio and Television Broadcaster, Station Manager, and Business Development Manager for a community-owned TV station.

What I enjoy most about Habitat for Humanity is the ability to help families get into their first home and creating opportunities for affordable housing that attracts new businesses, create jobs, and make communities safer. Together we have the ability to change the lives of families and communities for generations to come.

Interesting Fact: When I’m not working for Habitat, I enjoy great movies. My personal favorites are “Citizen Kane,” To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Steven Spielberg’s “Empire of the Sun.” I also enjoy Nat Geo, Discovery, and the Science Channels. Oh yes, and AMC, because sometimes old movies are the best!

Deborah Harmon

Acquisitions Director

Hello! My name is Deborah and I am the Acquisitions Director for Habitat for Humanity. I was on the Board of Directors for 18 months before I started my position at Habitat. My previous experience is in real estate – from sales, land planning, new construction, and rehabilitations.  I have also been involved in Christian counseling ministries and short term missions over the years.

It is exciting to combine both of my areas of interest while working at Habitat!

Interesting Fact: I have a strong interest in art! I've worked on major public art projects, including bridges and murals! Also, I paint with oils, enjoy photography, design jewelry, and love interior designing!

Dan Brizendine

Construction Director

Hello! I have worked with Habitat for Humanity for 1 year and 4 months as the Construction Director. I have 30 years of experience working in construction – in all aspects of building and construction.

Working for Habitat for Humanity has been a lifelong dream and I enjoy helping people and training volunteers on the construction site!

Interesting Fact: I love coffee and donuts in the morning!

Maria Whiteley

Bookkeeper

Hello! I have been with Habitat for Humanity for 5 years! I am a graduate of Cal State University San Bernardino with a degree in Accounting. I am responsible for all of the financial records of H4HSBA.

Habitat is a wonderful organization to work for. My co-workers are amazing and give 100% all of the time. I love that we partner with families to provide affordable homes!

Interesting Fact: I love to read, watch movies, and camp!

Maritza Solis

Volunteer Coordinator and Office Manager

Hello Everyone! I have been working at Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area for 4 years now. I actually started as a volunteer. My first day at the job site, it was over 110 degrees and I was given a shovel to level out the lot along with 6 other volunteers. I remember thinking this is definitely not what I wanted to do. I wanted to help build a house, wear a hard hat, and use a hammer! At that moment, I didn't realize that every volunteer had an important job at the construction site from picking up nails; to making sure there was enough cold water, to digging a hole.

Eventually, I got hired as the Volunteer Coordinator and my volunteering experience at the site gave me an edge. It helped me encourage volunteers that were not very fond of certain jobs, understand the greater mission. Every assignment whether small or big is still needed to complete the job! Today when volunteers wish they were doing something else, I always tell them about my volunteer experience in Redlands. Many are amazed that I would go back after the first time, but I did because I really enjoyed the camaraderie at the site. And I have to say this is what I most enjoy about working at Habitat!

Interesting Fact: I enjoy hiking and salsa dancing!

Rhea Stumm

Communications Manager

Hello and thank you for visiting the Habitat blog! I am the Communications Manager at Habitat for Humanity San Bernardino Area. In this role, I am responsible for the marketing and event planning for the Habitat affiliate and the ReStore. I started working at Habitat in April 2011 and assisted in the opening of the ReStore in June 2011.

Prior to working at Habitat for Humanity, I dedicated 2 years to National Service, which included volunteer work in the Gulf helping communities affected by hurricanes and floods. While volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Texas, Mississippi and Florida, I fell in love with the Habitat Mission!

Interesting Fact: I love to ride my stand up jet ski in the summer!

Gilbert Galicia

ReStore Manager

Hello! My name is Gilbert and I am the ReStore Manager. I have been with Habitat for Humanity for 1 year. My past experience includes 7 years of construction and 10 years of retail.

I enjoy working with all the people that walk into the ReStore! All the customers, volunteers, and donors….and I know that we are all working together for a good cause.

Interesting Fact: I love to watch movies with my daughter.  

Shawn Duncan

ReStore Warehouse Operator

Hello! My name is Shawn and I am the Warehouse Operator at the Habitat ReStore. I have been with the ReStore for 1 year and my role is to pick up all the wonderful donations!

I enjoy driving around the San Bernardino area and meeting all our great donors!

Interesting Fact: I love to fish and play with my kids.

Melissa Herrera

ReStore Cashier

My name is Melissa and I have been with Habitat for Humanity since February 2012. Before working at the Habitat ReStore, I have had many different jobs such as working at a movie theater, tutoring, and touring the US with PETA. Currently, I work at the ReStore as a cashier, assist customers and sort donations.  

I enjoy working at Habitat for Humanity because it is a non-profit organization.

Interesting Fact: I’m vegan!

Natalie Sanchez

ReStore Cashier

Hi! I’m Natalie and I am a ReStore cashier. I have been working at Habitat for Humanity for 7 months and enjoy working with all the ReStore customers, donors, and my co-workers. My past experience includes retail and customer service.

I enjoy working with my co-workers and Habitat is a great organization to work for!

Interesting Fact: I like “Dia de los Muertos” skulls.