Lincoln City, OR (February 19, 2022) -- Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County (HFHLC) and Cascade Relief Team (CRT) are partnering to support survivors of the Echo Mountain Complex Fire of September 2020. HCHLC recently closed their Lincoln City ReStore while they search for a new location. “This was a really tough decision,” said Lucinda Taylor, HFHLC Executive Director, “but the current location just isn’t viable anymore. We didn’t have room to move everything to our Newport ReStore and it occurred to us that we have items we need to get rid of, and many wildfire survivors still in the process of rebuilding and refurnishing their homes. It seemed like a natural fit to invite survivors to the ReStore to take anything that would help them on their recovery journey.”
With strong support from the Cascade Relief Team (CRT) and the Salmon River Grange, known locally as “The Grange”, HFHLC opened the Lincoln City ReStore on the last two Saturdays in February for a special event. Fire survivors had a chance to gather what they needed to help make their new houses into a home. CRT provided assistance loading vehicles and delivered larger items to homes in Otis.
To continue aiding wildfire survivors, HFHLC is hosting a similar event that is open to the public. The community is invited to “shop” the Lincoln City ReStore for free on Saturday and Sunday, March 5th and 6th, from 10:00am – 4:00pm, with a request for donations instead of payment. All donations will go to Cascade Relief Team to benefit fire survivors and their families. CRT will also be on hand to make deliveries for a small fee. Delivery will continue to be free for wildfire survivors.
Over the course of two Saturdays, HFHLC served 45 households, donating couches, dining tables, chairs, dressers, bed frames, shelving units, lamps, lighting fixtures, housewares, tools, doors, lumber, and fencing. Landscaping for Love took home a grass spreader, pots, and racks for a grow light system. The Grange was able to secure cleaning supplies, shelving, and other items to support operations and pass on to survivors.
CRT President, Marc Brooks, who has been with the Relief Team since 2020, was an integral part in the coordination of moving and delivering items. He said the occasion was great for survivors, helping offset the costs of returning home. “Transitioning from ‘house’ to ‘home’ can be tough, but events like these are amazing because they don’t have to spend their hard-earned dollars on the stuff they need,” said Brooks.
Local Habitat volunteer, Josh Rebic, was also on hand during the special event. Rebic said the best part of the experience for him was “…seeing people smile after picking something out.”
To many of the wildfire survivors, it was a time of seeing familiar faces. CRT and the Grange have played a tremendous role in recovery efforts, providing access to food and household goods as well as referrals and support to access other resources. HFHLC helped fund early debris removal and Taylor sits on the Lincoln County Long-Term Recovery Group (LCLTRG) board of directors. Thanks to a grant from State Farm, HFHLC is currently constructing sheds to keep individual
belongings safe and secure while they rebuild. Otis resident and Habitat board member Nicole Clarke remarked, “It feels good to be able to help our neighbor."
The community is invited to support wildfire recovery efforts through a charitable contribution to the LCLTRG. Give online at https://lcltrg.org/make-a-donation or mail your check to Lincoln County Extension, c/o Emily Blume (LCLTRG Treasurer), 1211 SE Bay Blvd, Newport, OR 97365.
For more information, please contact
Lucinda Taylor at director@habitatlincoln.org or 541.351.8078.
About Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln
County, Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln County is a non-profit organization building homes, community, and hope. We bring together volunteers and community resources to build new residential housing and refurbish existing structures, and then sell them to low-income families with an affordable mortgage that meets their income level. We also provide home repairs for low-income families to improve safety and accessibility, helping extend the life of the home and allowing owners to age in place.
HFHLC’s ReStores accept donations of building materials, furniture and appliances, and offers them to the community at a low cost. The ReStores provide much needed program revenue and divert usable and recyclable materials from our local landfill.
Photos:
Emmy Krauss, Lucinda Taylor, and Marc Brooks
Josh Rubic and Lucinda Taylor