Val Nehes
In the past, I would drive to Maple Shade to search for treasures to be found at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, but now I don't have to do that.
This year, a new ReStore opened just around the corner from StudioIQL's East Falls office at 3111 W. Allegheny Ave. I love the ReStore, and not just because it supports my belief that everyone should be proud of their home. The ReStore sells gently used furniture, appliances, building supplies, and household goods, and donates all of the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity, which builds and repairs homes across the city.
I love the ReStore because of the things I find there. Among my ReStore finds is a coral velvet sofa that has received more compliments than any other item I've ever purchased. I found a wood and iron coffee table at the ReStore while volunteering to prepare an apartment for an elderly woman with housing issues. The “thank you” card I received made it clear that she loved this little table and that it matched her living room perfectly. I keep this card on my desk.
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Other treasures include a $200 mustard-colored velvet sectional made in Japan that fits perfectly in my living room, and I matched the wall color to the velvet. I also bring in anything that can be used, whether it's items torn down during renovations, leftover building materials, or furniture that customers no longer need, to the ReStore so they can find new uses for it.
Building fine homes using donated items and volunteer labor has been Habitat for Humanity's mission since it was founded by Millard Fuller in 1976. Millard became a self-made millionaire at age 29. He donated his vast personal fortune and settled with his wife, Linda, on a Christian community farm called Koinonia Farm.
While at the farm, they worked on projects, the main focus of which was to build housing together. His belief that “the poor need capital, not charity” was the spirit behind the founding of Habitat for Humanity.
But it was perhaps former President Jimmy Carter, who picked up a hammer and became Habitat's most famous volunteer, who brought the organization into the public eye in 1984. By 2009, Habitat had built 300,000 homes around the world, housing more than one million people in over 100 countries.
Millard was eventually fired by Habitat after multiple allegations of misconduct against female staff. Until his death, he maintained that he was fired by the board for political reasons. He said the board ousted him in order to find a “highly paid accountant” rather than someone with a “strong Christian faith.”
Another prominent director was quoted as saying, “Millard liked to hug, but that was misconstrued… Some people were trying to make a big deal out of something that really wasn't that important…”
Whatever side of history Millard sits on, his life's mission was profound.
In a 1995 Washington speech, he was quoted as saying: “Our choice is between grace and dishonor. Do we want graceful communities, where love and care abound, or dishonorable communities, where love and care are withheld and distributed only to a privileged few?… If we give (people) a nice place to live, we give them all a better chance.”
There is plenty of parking at the Allegheny branch, the staff is very friendly and helpful, and anyone is welcome to roll up their sleeves and volunteer.
Val Nehez is the owner and principal designer of Studio IQL in East Falls. Studio IQL is located at 3580 Indian Queen Lane. You can also find them at StudioIQL.com or on Instagram: studio_iql. For smaller projects, check out quickandlovely_design.
