ReStore is helping to rebuild homes

ReStore in Milton is helping to build homes for those in need by selling bargain merchandise to the public.

The Milton store, which opened on August 1, is the second Habitat ReStore to open in the Pensacola Bay Area. In 2005, Habitat opened a store on 5810 North Palafox Street in Pensacola.

The store, located on 6606 Elva Street, behind Hall’s Hardware and Lumber, features a wide variety of deeply discounted building materials, home furnishings, furniture, appliances, doors, windows, plumbing and electrical supplies, fixtures and more.

The Milton ReStore’s regular store hours are Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sylvia Hicks is a volunteer who works at the Milton location. She says every penny helps and every dollar received goes toward building houses.

“That is why I volunteer. Every bit of the money helps to put somebody in a home,” she says.

Jim Williamson also volunteers for the store. He says he enjoys working for such a worthy cause.

According to Habitat for Humanity, volunteers are needed.  The public can help alleviate the housing problems of the local area by volunteering time to be a cashier, helping to prepare donated merchandise for sale, or greeting and assisting shoppers.

Donations of goods for resale in the store are being accepted. For any questions about donating or about the merchandise offered, call (850) 981-0009.

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, ecumenical, Christian ministry whose purpose is to build homes and improve communities in partnership with low and very low-income families in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties.

According to Habitat, “Pensacola Habitat for Humanity is not a give-away program.  Through the use of donations, in-kind gifts and volunteer labor Habitat builds simple decent homes and sells the homes at cost with a no-interest mortgage to deserving families.”

Habitat houses are built in collaboration with partner families who contribute 300 hours of their own labor known as "sweat equity".  By contributing sweat equity hours, homeowners are vested in their home and neighborhood as they enjoy the tangible results of teamwork.

Habitat for Humanity offers a long-term solution, not a quick fix, to the problem of poverty housing. The organization makes home ownership possible for people who would not otherwise qualify for a conventional mortgage or afford safe, decent shelter.

In the process of building new homes, Habitat has cleaned up lots previously used for illegal dumping and has torn down dilapidated structures, making neighborhoods safer and cleaner.

Pensacola Habitat remains the only organization in the area that offers homeownership to very low income families.