Habitat For Humanity opens ReStore donation center in RR

RIO RANCHO — Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps the needy or senior build or improve homes, opened a ReStore donation center Aug. 23.

Executive Director Bill Bidal and ReStore Director Miguel Sanchez spoke about the huge step for the organization at a ribbon cutting for the location off of Stephanie Road.

Bidal said they applied to corporate Habitat for Humanity in 2022 to expand in Sandoval County.

“We’ve actually been working up here since then, doing home repair type stuff, both home preservation repair and critical home systems repair,” he said.

Habitat has always taken delivery donations, but this location is more local to Rio Rancho and the general Sandoval County area, according to Bidal.

“We actually were awarded a contract with the city of Rio Rancho to do critical home repair for people, and we’ve completed that. We actually did 16 critical system repairs, replace roofs, water tanks, that kind of stuff. So we’ve been active up here. This was our first physical location,” he said.

The new location serves as a drop-off center where people can make donations of construction materials, furniture and more. Those items are then taken to the ReStore location on Menaul in Albuquerque.

“Our ReStore built a whole house in two neighborhoods through the proceeds that they raised in sales of used furniture, appliances, doors, windows, everything,” Bidal added.

Sanchez said the ReStore is the first of its kind in the United States. He stressed that people using the ReStore to get their materials helps a lot, too.

“Every single penny that we raise at the ReStore goes towards the houses,” Sanchez said.

Despite the addition of a physical location people can drop items off at, Sanchez said they will still travel to people’s homes to pick items up, in Rio Rancho or otherwise.

He also recognized that the community may not know that ReStore is part of Habitat for Humanity.

“All the proceeds from us go directly to build houses and to the repair program,” he said.

Sanchez said Habitat is getting ready to build another house in Albuquerque.

Bidal also announced they have been working with RioTECH to bring students to work on job sites.

“We will eventually build houses in Rio Rancho and probably some of the other communities up in Sandoval County. That’s what we’re aspiring to do. We may put a ReStore up here someday,” he added.

The organization is also starting a veteran-specific program in the area.

The Rio Rancho ReStore location is at 1525 Stephanie Rd SE, unit 207, in the back right corner of the complex. The center will accept lightly used donations of furniture, appliances, lighting, windows, doors, building materials and more, as well as monetary donations. Volunteers are also welcome.