It is Earth Day 2021 and we are delighted to highlight one of our dedicated volunteers, Robert R. Roy, who shows us that Earth Day can be every day. Robert, who prefers going by Rob, was born in Salem, MA in 1938, and has lived on the North Shore for his whole life.
Rob attended Salem Vocational School, graduating as an electrician, before taking additional courses and working to become a journeyman electrician. Following school, Rob joined the army, and after serving his country, returned to Massachusetts where he worked as an electrician for a major department store, advancing to the position of maintenance supervisor. After 20 years of hard work, of which 10 years was spent commuting to Boston, Rob decided to change things up and got a job as a Building Supervisor and Foreman for the Danvers Housing Authority (DHA), where he worked until retirement.
Since retirement, Rob has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for the past 10 years on various construction sites in the North Shore. For the past two years, he has regularly joined us at the Habitat ReStore in Peabody, where he is one of our resident repair volunteers. Rob describes himself as “a hands-on guy”, who loves working with fellow volunteers, Paul and Stuart to diagnose, repair, and refinish items that can then be sold in the store.
Habitat ReStores are discount retail outlets that sell donated new, and gently used appliances, building materials, furniture, and home improvement items at reduced prices. The ReStores mantra is ReUse, RePurpose, ReStore, and almost every item you will find at a Habitat ReStore would have ended up in a landfill, if not accepted for resale. The work Rob and his co-volunteers do, helps us keep thousands of tons out of landfills, and all profits benefit Essex County Habitat for Humanity and enable us to build affordable homes in partnership with families throughout Essex County.
COVID certainly impacted everyone’s lives, and the same can be said for Rob. However he tells us that “Volunteering at the store with Paul and Stuart is a great job. We are able to work together and help each other. Just having a place to go to during the pandemic – obviously all while social distancing – where you are needed, and love what you are doing, was just amazing!” Rob continues on that, “At 83+ years old, I hope to be able to continue doing this for as long as I can. I feel good being able to help people attain the American dream of owning their own home.”
Essex County Habitat for Humanity operates two ReStores – one located at 58R Pulaski Street in Peabody and another, located at 647 Andover Street in Lawrence.
Both stores are open on Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Come visit us and find something in every style, for every space or taste – shopping at Habitat for Humanity ReStores, helps the environment, while keeping thousands of tons out of landfills, as well as supports Habitat’s mission of building affordable homes for local families in our community. You can shop at, donate to, or volunteer at Essex County Restores today.
Find select online inventory and more information at www.essexcountyhabitat.org/shop
Volunteer
Volunteers are our foundation!
Donate
Your donation builds hope & homes
Shop
Shop at or donate to our ReStores