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The LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting for the new location of the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in LaGrange.

Troup County Habitat for Humanity Director Sandie Pike cut the ribbon on the store’s new location at 425 New Franklin Road in LaGrange.

Pike said they considered several locations before they finally made the move from their previous location on Main Street near the railroad crossing. The new store sees much more traffic and has helped the store thrive.

“It’s exciting to be able to thrive here. Our sales have already doubled since we’ve been here, which is really what our goal was,” Pike said. “Everything that we make, after overhead, goes right back into the community.”

Pike said that the LaGrange Habitat ReStore covers six counties in West Georgia and East Alabama, including Troup, Harris, Heard, Randolph, Clay and Chambers.

“What most people don’t understand or realize is that this store actually covers all the overhead for what we do,” Pike said.

Using profits from selling donated items, Habitat for Humanity was able to build four houses and repair 14 homes locally.

Once overhead costs are paid, whatever’s left over is used to build homes for people in need or to do repairs to their homes.

“By moving here and generating more traffic, we’re able to serve more, because we’ve increased our revenue just since we’ve been here,” Pike said.

For the new homes and repairs, they take applications, which go through a family selection committee to ensure the need and to narrow the list down based on available funds.

“We may have 100 applications, and you may wind up with 20 when home site visits are done to make sure the need is real and it’s legit,” Pike said. 

Typically, the families need to be within 60 to 80% of the annual median income for the county to get in line for the program. Once they enter the program, they go through home ownership classes, budgeting classes, finance classes, and then they’re required to put in 200 hours of sweat equity for the home. Once they complete the program, they get a new home they can afford.

“They get it for what they can afford, not what it costs us to build,” Pike explained.

The restore generates its funds from selling donated items. Sometimes, that’s new or used furniture and other household items. Sometimes, it’s brand-new construction goods. Home Depot frequently gives them items that haven’t sold, Pike said.

If you have a piece of furniture that’s still in good shape but you no longer want it, you can give Habitat Restore a call, and they will pick it up and give you a donation receipt for tax purposes.

“We don’t value; you do. So if you donate a great piece of furniture, like a nice leather sofa that you paid $3,000 for, we’ll give you the receipt for the sofa, and you value that yourself [for tax purposes],” Pike said.

Pike said they take donations for basically everything except clothes, and they’ll come pick it up if needed.

For more information, visit www.hfhtroup.org or call (706) 416-6332.