“We’re glad to be a part of this effort with ArtWorks for Freedom and to be able to take a stand and say we know human trafficking is here, and we’re not okay with it. “Just recently, we were surprised when human trafficking arrests were made in some very nice neighborhoods near our warehouse, so we’re especially aware that this is not a far away problem,” Mundell says. Ruthie Mundell, Outreach and Education Director, says supporting anti-trafficking efforts hits close to home with Community Forklift, which is headquartered in Prince George’s County, in the Maryland suburbs of DC, and has seen the ravages of human trafficking uncovered in its own community. They then sells the materials as a way to curb construction waste and make repairs more affordable.Ĭommunity Forklift has also provided $300,000 in free materials to neighbors in need and local nonprofits since 2011, and has generously donated two antique doors to support ArtWorks for Freedom’s Golden Doors to Freedom project. Operating as a “modern-day Robin Hood,” Community Forklift gathers quality materials from renovations, building projects, and even deconstructed homes throughout the Washington metropolitan area. She attends Wesleyan University and is an intern with ILSR’s Waste to Wealth Initiative in Washington, DC.Community Forklift is a nonprofit reuse center for home improvement supplies that has kept $30 million worth of waste from incinerators or landfills over the past 13 years.

You can also find them on Etsy, Ebay, Twitter, and Facebook. They’re open Wednesday and Thursday from 9am-7pm and all other days of the week from 9am-6pm. If you’re in the DC area, Community Forklift, located at 4671 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston, MD 20781, makes a great destination for shopping, browsing and donations. Now there is a flow of materials and customers from wealthier parts of town,” says Mundell. But then we consigned some antiques, people realized we had a diversity of products including high end items, and we started to get more donations of valuable antiques.

“It was really hard to survive when we were just selling inexpensive hardware. area, there is no shortage of people who can afford luxury items. They have also made the clever choice to go after a demographic not traditionally thought of as a thrift store shoppers: the wealthy. All of these decisions have helped Community Forklift reduce the debt they accrued during start up. Under Meyer, Community Forklift began to take credit cards, decided to stay open for more days of the week, negotiated a better rent agreement, and brought in more people who would be integral to their success. The biggest reason Community Forklift has grown is that we have been lucky enough to attract these really great people.” Mundell gives a lot of credit to Nancy Meyer, their CEO, for helping Community Forklift thrive. Community Forklifts programs provide low-cost building materials, appliances, and furniture to low-income individuals and families and to. “As is often the case with non-profits, the dreamers who are crazy enough to start something up need to bring in people who have operational thinking skills. Mundell points out that there have been many factors that account for their growth to date. These materials are then taken to Community Forklift’s warehouse, whose customers include low-income homeowners, artists, and those from non-profits, theater companies, community gardens, and schools, among others. The nonprofit also takes materials from groups that specialize in deconstructing houses and other buildings, such as Details and Go Green Deconstruction. They have two crews working five days a week to pick up donations from households and businesses. However, Community Forklift spends most of their time gathering materials that they can sell for reuse. We were able to start giving materials directly to neighbors in need.” Community Forklift also hosts events such as First Forklift Fridays, a party on the first Friday of every month featuring local artists and food trucks, and free do-it-yourself reuse and renovation workshops.

“After finally reducing our debt, we became a lot more stable. This is a product of the Community Forklift’s economic success, says Ruthie Mundell, Director of Education and Outreach. In addition to its store, Community Forklift provides many other important services to its community, including its Home Essentials Program, under which people on government aid, those with disabilities, and senior citizens receive stoves, washing machines, and air conditioners, among other things, for free. Specializing in appliances and salvaged building materials, the center was founded in November 2005 with four employees and has since grown to a team of over thirty. , in Edmonston, Maryland, is notable for its rapid growth and relative financial success in an industry where profits are often elusive. Community Forklift, a nonprofit reuse center located just outside Washington, D.C.

Community forklift dc