WHAT INSPIRES ALBINA CUSTOMERS?

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Community Warehouse
www.communitywarehouse.org

Recycling the comforts of home

3969 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland
Estate Store Hours:
Saturday - Wednesday, 10am - 4pm

Help Kids Sleep Better

Hundreds of children in the Portland Public Schools district will fall asleep on the floor tonight. There are 3,300 families each year that are beginning again. They may be escaping domestic violence, leaving their countries or the streets, or living on a limited income as an elderly person.

Create a Home for Individuals and Families In Need . . .

Through our donations of mattresses and other gently used household items and furnishings, we can help.  Community Warehouse is a Portland-based nonprofit that recycles donated items and gives them to individuals and families in need.  Through partnerships with over 90 social service agencies, the Warehouse helps over 200 people each week create a home. "Each day we hear about individuals and families who need towels, basic cooking essentials or dishes," shared Kristy Woods, Executive Director since 2005. "We know that kids don't have beds or blankets, but are expected to learn the next day."  In 2009, the organization collected and distributed 3,297 mattresses to families in need.

Get Involved In Your Community

This is what Roz Babener and Fineke Brasser intended when they founded the nonprofit in 2001 and began storing donated items in storage units. "It's the smiles and excitement of the families that is most rewarding," stated Roz. The Warehouse's 75 active volunteers and 8 employees would agree. The heart and soul of the organization, these individuals help price and sell vintage antique items, repair furniture, or help families pick out items.

Does Your Bank Live Here, Or Work Here?

One of those volunteers is Teri Karren-Keith, Vice President and Branch Manager at Albina's MLK Office who enjoys making a difference in local neighborhoods and supporting her customers. Serving on the Warehouse's board of directors since 2006, Teri has held numerous towel drives at the bank to support the cause.  With a shared mission to improve the lives of individuals and families, the Warehouse was a natural fit for Portland's local bank. "Teri's financial expertise and the relationship we've established with Albina is incredible, especially as we work to complete a $1.2 million capital campaign in 2010 to purchase our current location at 3969 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.," stated Kristy.

An Entrepreneurial Nonprofit And A "Chair Affair"

As funding for nonprofits becomes scarcer, the Warehouse continues to show its entrepreneurial spirit.  Each spring, over 100 local artists choose a chair and create a one-of-a-kind piece of functional art to be auctioned at the "Chair Affair."  The organization's Estate Store sells donated antiques, collectibles or retro items at great prices, and alone pays for the cost of serving 25 families each week. Other more random items are sold at their weekend Garage Sale or through online sales.  These creative efforts are what keep it exciting for the organization. Along with the sense of accomplishment they feel by helping children and families fall asleep cozier each night.

To recycle household goods and give them to a family in need, or find out more about how a local nonprofit is helping families create a home, please visit www.communitywarehouse.org.