ReStore and Habitat for Humanity
Taking care of the environment, and helping people in our communities: these are two fundamental ideas we’ve built our company on from the start. They help us strive to reuse or recycle many unwanted materials, keeping them out of our landfills. If those materials can then be used to help local families put a roof over their heads, why wouldn’t we do everything possible to make that happen?
Because we care so much about this, we like to give shout-outs to similar minded businesses who are working hard to make a difference. One such business is ReStore, which opened it’s doors recently in North Vancouver.
ReStore is a non-profit organization that sells new and used building and home improvement materials that have been donated to them by builders and homeowners; with 100% of the money raised going toward Habitat for Humanity initiatives in the Greater Vancouver area. Run almost entirely by volunteers, ReStore/HH helps to provide modest-income families with affordable, accessible housing options (while at the same time giving some pretty sweet deals to people looking for items to complete renovation projects around their homes).
We believe in the great things that organizations like Habitat for Humanity are doing locally, so whenever possible GCR salvages usable material from the jobs we do and donates them. A recent demolition of an office on the North Shore allowed us to dismantle approximately 790 glass blocks from their walls and send them to ReStore—which could potentially translate to a resale value of thousands of dollars—toward their efforts in helping more people have homes in our communities.
Last year alone we were able to donate approximately 9 tonnes of various goods and materials to charities throughout Vancouver who can make good use of them. Check out what ReStore is doing; they are located at 126 Harbour Avenue in North Vancouver.
Bikes for Tykes: A Cycle of Giving
Much like our good friends at Obsession: Bikes we too think that every kid should experience the joy and excitement of riding a bike. The opportunities, the freedom, and of course the simple pleasure a bike can bring into a child’s life is unparalleled and is something that every child should experience.
With that admirable goal in mind, Obsession has established a “Bikes for Tykes” program on the North Shore of Vancouver. The Bikes for Tykes program was founded in 1987 in Naples, Florida and has since delivered close to 18,000 reconditioned bicycles to some very lucky children. With 25 chapters in the US and 3 in Canada the program has been a massive success, to say the least.
The concept of the program is simple, you donate your previously owned kids bikes to be restored to “like new” condition and then Obsession, in conjunction with other local partners, will deliver the revitalized bikes to underprivileged children across the North Shore for Christmas.
Since 2005, Obsession has delivered 100 refurbished bikes to kids on the Shore each Christmas, and Green Coast is on board to help them reach and exceed this number for 2012.
If you have a bike to donate but don’t have the means or the time to get it to Obsession, no need to worry. We will happily pick-up your child’s bike, scooter, or anything with two wheels for free and deliver it to Obsession! Just contact us and mention the Bikes for Tykes program and we’ll take care of the rest.
Help make this a memorable Christmas for children on the North Shore, because when it comes to bikes, we’re all still kids at heart!
Partners
