2023 Community Reuse Grant Winners

Russell Community Free Table - Russell, NY

For years, the local library in Russell, NY has housed a free table under their entryway awning. To protect donated goods from the inclement weather in the North Country, the library used the community reuse grant funds to build a locally Amish-made building to house donated items. In their first 4 months, they diverted 2,877 pieces of clothing, 1,746 household items, and 356 toys away from the landfill to new homes! The success of their free clothing and household items initiatives inspired them to become a non-profit organization, Enrich (Russell Community Helpers) and have expanded their scope to include roadside clean-ups, a community garden, and is coordinating a summer festival.

The Tool Library - Buffalo, NY

The Tool Library in Buffalo, NY used the community reuse grant funds to expand their Dare to Repair Cafe (D2R) events. D2R are community events where individuals bring broken items to the repair cafe, where volunteer fixers repair the items for free while teaching community members how to repair items themselves.