WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Community Forklift is all about Salvage Love. It turns trash into treasures for low income communities and it’s funky, fabulous marketplace as well.
Nancy Meyer is its COO/CEO and she joined Allison Seymour to talk about the group and its mission.
Seymour asked, "Can you tell us about Community Forklift?"
Meyer, CEO/COO Community Forklift replied, "We are all about redistributing, the value of salvaged materials back into our communities."
She said, "We have a program called The Home Essentials. This provides free appliances, home goods and building materials to folks in need."
Since 2011, Community Forklift has provided more than $300,000 of materials to local neighbors in need of materials to improve their homes.
Meyer said Salvage Love is "...all about just appreciating the kind of creativity and the energy and the love of our community, and the value of taking materials other people are discarding ensuring they don't go into a landfill, but that they actually get reused and often very creatively, so we're all about the love."
Meyer also talked about some of the Community Building Blocks Programs like the one that helped the William Wirt Middle School in Prince George's County build a beautiful laundry room.
There also helped with a blessing box put together by Girl Scout Troop 6899 in Hyattsville.
The troop turned a sturdy old cabinet into a little free pantry located near St. Jerome Catholic Church and Hyattsville Elementary School.
Community Forklift also partnered with Uniting Us and provided materials for art projects to the a group for veterans who come together to use art as healing. They also sold the art with the proceeds going to the artist.
Meyer added, "This is what it’s all about. It’s about building those connections."
Seymour said, "We here at WUSA9 with our partners at Easterns Automotive Group, we would just like to do a small part and gift you $1,000 towards Community Forklift.
Meyer's exclaimed, "Who whoooo!" and thanked her saying,"Oh, that's great. We're thrilled!"
Donated building materials are the cornerstone of Community Forklift. Donations qualify for a tax deduction, reduce disposal costs, keep items out of landfills and support the community.
If you need additional information, you can email the Donations Team at Donations@CommunityForklift.org or call (301) 985-5180.
Do you know someone we should help?
Let Allison know!
Get Up DC wants to thank Easterns Automotive Group for partnering with us and sponsoring the segment.