
A pair of Okanagan groups are teaming up to help the Kelowna Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
The Okanagan Men’s Shed is adding their expertise to help the organization save kitchens and appliances so they can be reused.
Habitat for Humanity Okanagan’s kitchen salvage program is a free service offered through the local ReStore.
The team of volunteers, including a group of local men from the Okanagan Men's Shed, dismantle select kitchens which are then reused at one of four ReStores operated by Habitat for Humanity.
The move allows the ReStores to resell the kitchens, including appliances and cabinets, saving customers thousands of dollars in contractor and waste disposal fees.
“We are beyond thankful to the Okanagan Men’s Shed crew for committing their time to Habitat and to the kitchen salvage program. This is such an impactful group of men helping Habitat at a time where we really need more kitchen salvage volunteers," says Habitat CEO Andrea Manifold.
When it comes to kitchen renovations, sometimes a perfectly good kitchen is discarded because of aesthetic reasons and what one person has decided to replace is exactly what someone else is looking for.
Once the kitchens are removed they are sold to new owners for use in their homes, workshops, and garages.
The program was launched in 2020 and since then Habitat for Humanity has diverted over 400 kitchens from local landfills.
The sale of each salvaged kitchen and the appliances goes directly to support Habitat for Humanity’s homebuilding program, which helps provide affordable homeownership to families.