The Gorge Rebuild-it Center is in danger of closing.
According to General Manager Patrick Morris, the nonprofit, located at 995 Tucker Road, only has enough funds to keep its doors open for one more month.
“The lid is closing,” he said. “If I don’t make at least $3,000-$4,000 in the next couple of weeks, we’ll have to put our truck up for sale.”
The center has been a community-supported nonprofit since 2004, with merchandise consisting of donated used or leftover building materials. Its mission: Keeping everything from cabinets to insulation out of the landfill.
And up until now, business has been good.
The Gorge Rebuild-it Center has a mission to keep reusable building materials out of the waste stream. Products available for purchase include kitchen and bathroom cabinets, kitchen and bath fixtures, windows and doors, dimensional lumber, lighting, reusable flooring, surplus electrical and plumbing supplies, unused insulations and any other resalable building material — for everything from home improvement plans to art projects.
The problem the center has run into recently is twofold: First, the snowy and icy weather has kept people home and the store closed. The last five weeks have brought in only a couple hundred dollars in sales combined, said Morris.
Secondly, $8,000 in product was stolen a couple of months ago — all of its copper and brass — and they put in a $4,000 security system in response.
“That turned out to be a pretty poor investment because winter will not end,” said Morris.
He likens it to “a catastrophe.” Frank Levin, board member, puts it another way:
“It’s been a hell of a month so far,” he said last week.
“We need people to come in (and buy merchandise),” he said. “And if anyone is willing to contribute financially to help us keep our doors open, that would be great. Like all businesses, we have bills to pay no matter what.”
Gorge Rebuild-it Center is two organizations, said Levin: The Gorge Rebuild-it Community Project and the Gorge Rebuild-it Center. Both are in danger of closing.
The board is particularly looking for corporate sponsorships, but all donations are welcome — building materials or monetary gifts.
“I keep thinking there’s somebody out there who wants to do it,” he said of collecting the much-needed funds. “People do good things for community organizations all the time, and we need one done for us.”
Gorge Rebuild-it Center is currently having its first-ever “Winter Survival Sale” in hopes of coming up with enough funding to keep the doors open a little longer — 25 percent off purchases of $25 or more.
“Dress warmly. Binge shopping is acceptable and actually encouraged,” reads a Facebook notice.
“We need people to spend to keep the doors open,” said Levin. “… We are saying, ‘If you want us to stay alive, we need your help.’ We need cash to do business.”
The center also needs board members. Levin got involved initially because he enjoyed shopping at the Rebuild-it Center, and encourages others who feel the same to volunteer.
“We need people to be involved,” he said. “We are primarily a working board.”
Both management and board said they are grateful for the support shown to the nonprofit since its inception almost 13 years ago.
“Thanks to the community for all their support through the years, and we hope they will continue to do so,” said Morris. “Pray for warm weather!”
All donations to Gorge Rebuild-it Center are tax deductible. Call the store at 541-387-4387 or stop by for more information or to help. The store also has a website — rebuildit.org — and a Facebook page.
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