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thedrifter
01-26-08, 07:14 AM
Appliances, fixtures from Marines' housing will benefit Habitat for Humanity
Nikie Mayo
January 25, 2008 - 10:25PM
Sun Journal

HAVELOCK— Two hundred refrigerators that belonged to Marines will pay for half a house in New Bern.

That’s the way volunteer coordinator Amanda Norwood does the math for what she calls Habitat for Humanity’s “ultimate recycling fund-raiser.”

Officials will soon demolish 242 units in the Fort Macon complex, which provides off-base housing for Cherry Point Marines. But before demolition begins, volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of New Bern are removing refrigerators, stoves, sinks and cabinets that will ultimately pay for someone’s home.

“This is so great because these stoves and refrigerators are only two or three years old and are in beautiful shape and these cabinets are very solid,” Norwood said. “So not only are people getting a great deal, but they are helping someone else break the cycle of poverty.”

Atlantic Marine Corps Communities is donating the appliances and cabinets to be sold at Habitat’s Restore on Pollock Street. The profits from that store help support Habitat.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian organization that builds houses with the help of volunteers and intended homeowners. A potential homeowner must meet income requirements and agree to put 200 hours of “sweat equity” into building his or her home.

A 1,200-square-foot home costs about $62,000 in today’s market, so selling the fridges for $150 each should pay for about half a house, Norwood said.

“There’s no telling what this will mean to us financially once we see exactly what we have,” she said. “There are 242 units to be cleaned out and we are taking as much as we can.”

The project began this month and is expected to run through the middle of February, she said.

Habitat has had help from several groups of Marines recently, but volunteers are needed to help dismantle, lift and move the items, Norwood said.

“Removing the cabinets takes a bit of patience, but it’s worth it,” she said.

The apartment complex is off U.S. 70, just past the Havelock Police Department, but Norwood said Habitat’s workdays there will vary and it’s best to call ahead to ensure a crew is working.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us and it’s one that we’re grateful for,” she said. “But we desperately need some more volunteers and some more muscle.”

“These things might have otherwise ended up in a landfill,” she said. “Now, for someone, they’ll make a difference.”

To volunteer on this Habitat for Humanity project, call 633-9599. For more information about the appliances, contact the Restore at 633-5512.

Ellie