ReStore History
Millard and Linda Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, with the goal of eliminating poverty housing conditions by building and renovating simple, decent, and affordable homes. The concept of the ReStore was born in 1984 when a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Winnipeg, Canada, started a pilot project to collect and resell reusable building materials to generate funds for their homebuilding projects. The concept was simple: take surplus building materials, furniture, appliances, and other home improvement items and sell them to the public at a fraction of the retail price.
The pilot store’s success led to the rapid expansion of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore model. Habitat affiliates across North America and around the world started opening ReStores to help fund their local housing projects. ReStores quickly became an essential source of funding for local Habitat for Humanity affiliates.
The ReStore model has a positive environmental impact by diverting tons of reusable materials from landfills, promoting recycling, and reducing the demand for new manufacturing, which aligns with Habitat for Humanity's commitment to sustainable and responsible building practices.
ReStores rely heavily on donations from individuals, businesses, and contractors. These donated items, such as furniture, appliances, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and construction materials, are sold to the public at affordable prices. ReStores also serve as community hubs, providing a space for volunteers, shoppers, and donors to connect with the Habitat for Humanity mission.