About Us
Business description. Gorge Rebuild-it Center is a non-profit retail store whose product line consists of reusable building materials. Products are obtained through donations from contractors, homeowners and businesses. Contributors receive a tax deduction for their donation. Products include kitchen and bathroom cabinets and fixtures, windows and doors, dimensional lumber, lighting, reusable flooring, surplus electrical and plumbing supplies, bricks, block, tile, and any other reusable building material.
Mission of Gorge Rebuild-it Center.
- to foster green building design in the Columbia Gorge area
- to divert reusable materials from the landfill
- to improve affordable housing in the Mid-Columbia River region
- to create stable, family wage jobs
- to operate self-sufficiently
Non Profit organization. Gorge Rebuild-it Center is a project of the Columbia Gorge Earth Center, a 501(c)(3) corporation located in Hood River, Oregon. The Earth Center’s mission is to “Promote the link between ecology, economy and community in the Columbia River Gorge”. GRC is structured as a non-profit. Yet our store operates from sales revenue (vs. grant money).
Affordable Housing: Gorge Rebuild-it Center improves affordable housing by: (1) providing low-cost building materials, (2) advocating for energy-efficiency in housing design.
Outreach: Our project serves as a model for innovative rural reuse opportunities. In furtherance of our commitment to sharing that experience, our non-profit parent (Columbia Gorge Earth Center) is looking forward to the 6th annual Enviro House Tour, which is scheduled for October 2007.
Deconstruction Referrals: Deconstruction (versus demolition) is a great way to salvage, divert from the landfill, and put building materials back into reuse. Currently , Gorge Rebuild-it Center does not have the capacity to provide deconstruction services, but we will do our best to provide the most current resources and referrals. Meanwhile, we are trying several ideas to indirectly foster deconstruction:
- Partnering with a new nonprofit called Wings which provides life skills and job training to 18-24 year-old boys in the Gorge.
- Working closely with a local deconstruction company (Tom Reid- Green Home Construction). We promote “deconstruction services” throughout the Mid-Columbia area, and then refer customers to Green Home Construction . Together, we strategize to assure a Win-Win scenario for everybody involved (Gorge Rebuild-it Center, Green Home Construction, and the client).
- Northwest Service Academy (an Americorps program located in Trout lake, Washington) has kindly offered to lend some of their hard-working crews on occasions when they are not busy doing paid work. This enables us to keep the costs down by leveraging the labor assets of local community organizations. Thanks Americorps!
Permanent Home: Gorge Rebuild-it Center currently leases our location. Eventually, we want to relocate to a property that can handle all Columbia Gorge Earth Center www.cgec activities, as well as provide the synergy of co-locating with similar businesses and services that espouse sustainable living practices. Envision a campus...a store...an eco-business park...green business demonstration site...a public meeting place...and a whole lot more.
Click here more info on our Project Update.