ReUse Works
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Jobs from the Waste Stream
ReUse Works is a Washington nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and support worker training, job creation, and business development opportunities for low-income residents by using waste and discarded materials. Its first "jobs from the waste stream" project is a nonprofit training business that collects, repairs, and sells discarded appliances. This training business delivers the following community services:
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- Job Training
ReUse Works partners with the Opportunity Council, WorkSource agencies, Lummi Training & Employment Center and other community based organizations to provide on-the-job training in shipping and receiving, repair and maintenance, cleaning, material handling, sales, and related occupations.
- Service Learning
ReUse Works provides service learning opportunities in business management, marketing, communications, and industrial design for students of Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College, and appliance repair internships for students of Bellingham Technical College.
- Sustainable Economic Development
 ReUse Works promotes a locally sustainable economy by tapping the waste stream to generate new economic activity. The business collaborates with appliance repair technicians, collection and recycling operations, used material retailers, and the general public to maximize the economic potential of reuse.
- Job Creation
ReUse Works creates new jobs in the reuse economy by hiring workers for its own operations and by building the capacity of its business partners to expand their workforce.
- Environmental Protection
ReUse Works recovers, repairs and sells some of the 27,000 appliances discarded annually in Whatcom County. Businesses and residents make tax deductible donations of unwanted appliances to support this environmental effort.
- Low-income Empowerment
ReUse Works provides low-income residents with an opportunity to plan, direct and operate this community owned enterprise. Low-income participants engage fully in decision making for the business and serve on its board of directors.
- Consumer Benefits
ReUse Works sells restored appliances at affordable prices to low and moderate income families and other bargain seekers. The project especially benefits the 23,000 county residents living below the federal poverty level.
- Funding
Seed funds for this self-sustaining project were provided by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Harvest Foundation, Russell Family Foundation, Horizons Foundation, Whatcom County, Whatcom Community Foundation and others.
Contact:
Duane Jager, Executive Director
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