Resource A Nonprofit Community Enterprise Inc

Programs: Resource uses its five locations to provide job and life skills training to displaced persons and at-risk youth, provide essential household items to families, and individuals in crisis, and prevent more than 1,000 tons of material from ending up in our landfills each year. Household goods and building material stores:resource operates four reuse centers that accept and redistribute household goods and building materials. These centers include: resource's household goods store in burlington at 266 pine street, the building materials store at 339 pine street in burlington, the household goods and building material store in barre at 30 granite street, and the household goods and building material store at 590 east main street in hyde park. Through these reuse centers, resource finds new homes for major appliances, computers, electronics, furniture, and industrial surplus materials, which are used by the community as arts, crafts, and educational supplies. Resource's reuse of building materials was started in 2001 and expanded in 2009 and again in 2012 with growth into washington and lamoille counties respectively. The building material enterprise addresses both the environmental and practical aspects of building material salvage and supply. More than 30 percent of the material in landfills is construction debris including lumber, hardwood flooring, and cabinet. As these materials degrade they release gases, especially methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. By picking up and accepting reusable building materials at zero cost, resource supports and enables contractors and home-owners to deconstruct and salvage building materials that otherwise would fill a landfill. Through this service the organization creates jobs, protects the environment, and relieves poverty by making these materials available to the public. Building material reuse closes the loop in the building material reuse cycle by providing an outlet for hundreds of tons of waste that homeowners and contractors have no other way to reuse or recycle. Homeowners, tenants, contractors, artisans, and developers all shop at resource's building material store for a variety of materials including lumber, plywood, windows, doors, sinks, lighting, and architectural antiques. Products are produced from salvaged building materials in resource's wood shop as part of carpentry and woodworking training programs. Products include benches, tables, greenhouses, chicken coops, and more. Producing attractive new products from construction waste contributes to our local economy and helps low-income individuals learn new and marketable skills. Resource also offers a number of self-sustaining enterprises so that its programs, people, and mission can grow and serve more people each year. These include:major appliance repair: technicians and certified in refrigeration, lp and natural gas. Repair technicians service appliances through the appliance warehouse and in customer's homes. Computer repair: the computer repair shop is an a+ certified microsoft refurbisher. Technicians refurbish donated computers and provide computer repair and upgrades. Resource's essential goods program alleviates poverty by serving those with the lowest income-those who cannot afford resource's already low-cost goods. Success of the essential goods program is measured in several ways: the number of people served, the number of partner agencies participating, the ability of the organization to use the program to train apprentice-style and work experience trainees, and the amount of material diverted from landfills. Resource's training programs serve a diverse range of individuals who need new skills and an opportunity to succeed. Most trainees find their way to resource's programs via word of mouth, community social service and rehabilitation agencies, and local schools. Staff work closely with these agencies and the trainees themselves to ensure that individual needs are met while high standards are maintained. Apprentice-style training: resource's apprentice-style training program serves individuals who are ready to work but need marketable job skills and work credentials for their desired career. Some applicants have been unemployed or under-employed; others are skilled in other trades but are retraining because their jobs have disappeared due to downsizing or relocation, or need new skills after suffering an occupational injury. Apprentice-style training is available in each of the following areas:office administration, major appliance repair, and computer systems technology. Work experience: resource's work experience program offers hands-on training and experiential learning through career start, leap, and employability skills training programs. Career start: career start provides customized vocational training to high school students with learning, physical, mental or emotional disabilities. This program introduces these students to traditional work settings, expectations and skills they need to successfully complete high school and transition into higher education or the working world. Students attend the career start program during their regular school schedule and most earn academic credit. Learn, earn, and prosper (leap): leap provides intensive summer residential training, periodic workshops and ongoing support to in-school youth who are blind or visually impaired. The program was originally developed to give youth the skills and confidence needed to pursue further education, training and gainful employment. It has developed and expanded its reach and, while remaining focused on vermont youth, now serves an increasing number of out-of-state youth who are blind and lack opportunities in their own state. Leap trainees work at resource and are placed in an area of interest and matched with staff that support their development of work skills and knowledge. The trainees develop independent living and leadership skills by living together for the summer with leap crew leaders. Employability skills training (est): est offers flexible scheduling and customized trainings for youth and adults who need an introduction to work and worksite expectations. This program also supports public assistance recipients through the reach up program who are completing weekly community service in order to maintain benefits while job hunting. Referring agencies look to resource to provide a supportive but structured environment that gives participants new skills. Youthbuild: resource's youthbuild program serves 16 to 24-year-old men and women in northwest and central vermont who have dropped out of high school and need a comprehensive development and job training opportunity. Youth are trained in construction skills while building affordable housing, weatherizing homes, and installing solar systems. Students have the opportunity to earn a high school diploma or ged while preparing for vocational school or college. The curriculum integrates academics with life skills. Classes are small allowing one-on-one attention to students. In 2017 resource served the following people/organizations in each program area:training: *341 trainees enrolled in our job skills training programs: workforce development - youthbuild, apprentice-style, & career path work experience - career start, leap, & est. Poverty relief:*757 people were given essential goods through poverty relief program. Recipients include individuals seeking to escape poverty and victims of disaster. *80 nonprofit agencies were served or supported through essential goods program*6 units of affordable housing weatherizedenvironmental stewardship: the community was served through environmental services including: -solar system repairs and maintenance completed through youthbuild training -7 weatherization projects also completed through youthbuild -reuse operations that kept 508,965 items out of the landfill and diverted 663 tons of materials.