Big project for Habitat for Humanity benefiting many

Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region has a lot of work to do.  

Working with Mayo Clinic Health System, Habitat is reclaiming material before the St. Ann building is torn down. 

Habitat ReClaim Supervisor Adam Oldre said Mayo told them to “save as much as you can.”  

It means Oldre and Habitat volunteers are removing items such as cabinets, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and ceiling tiles from the building.  

Doors and windows are also on the list.  

While it is a lot of material, there’s a real upside for people in the community. “I can see so much potential for people in need that want to buy some of those items that can’t necessarily afford new. So it’s a huge blessing to see that they’re willing to give that back to the community. We’re very excited to work with Mayo and get those items out.“ 

In just a day and a half, Oldre said they’ve already removed three truckful’s worth of material.  

The reclaimed items provide benefits in a number of ways, said Kahya Fox, the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity.  

“We’re really appreciative of our partnership with Mayo, allowing us this opportunity to come in…to take the items, to give those items a new life, opportunities for individuals in our community to buy really cool and unique items, and then prevent a ton of materials from going into the landfill, “ Fox said.    

Keeping material from going to the landfill is one of the goals for Habitat for Humanity according to Fox. She calls it a win-win. They reclaim materials using free labor, Mayo has to use fewer dumpsters to take to the landfill which saves them money, and the public can benefit from purchasing those reclaimed items. Mayo, like others who work with Habitat, gets a donation receipt for all the items.   

Once the materials are in Habitat’s hands, they could either go to its ReStore or to one of the homes they’re working on now or in the future. For example, Fox said that selling a cabinet could equal a new door at one of Habitat’s homes.   

An additional benefit, too, is that they have time for the work. That doesn’t happen often, said Oldre. Habitat has through September to work in the St. Ann Building.  

More time is easier for coordinating volunteers and the logistics of moving items, he said.  

In fact, a couple of the volunteers who were working that day are former employees at Mayo who used to work in the St. Ann’s building.  

When finished at St. Ann, the Habitat team starts on the St. Francis hospital building.  

Habitat can always use volunteers to help with projects.  

Contact Habitat here for volunteer opportunities.