Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity Partners with the Bonnaroo Works Fund to Encourage Recycling and Reduce Solid Waste

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has been canceled this year due to Covid-19, but their work in the community continues! For the third year in a row, Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity (RCHFH) has received a grant from the Bonnaroo Works Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, to encourage recycling of household goods and reduce solid waste disposal in area landfills. RCHFH does that through the Habitat ReStore where used furniture, home accessories, appliances and building materials are donated, sold to the general public and given new life.

The Bonnaroo Works Fund grant money helped purchase a new box truck and the graphics wrap on the truck. The ReStore offers free pickup of large items such as furniture and appliances. The store also promotes community recycling with tips and how-to instruction on refinishing furniture and repurposing items such as large outdated entertainment cabinets.

The ReStore keeps over 560 tons of materials out of area landfills every year. Located at 850 Mercury Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN, next to the Habitat office, the store takes donations of household goods including appliances, furniture, building materials, lighting, flooring, doors and windows, and sells them to the general public at highly discounted prices. Many “barely used” items are also donated by contractors. “Its not unusual for us to receive brand new appliances from builders, and “like new” furniture from corporate buildings,” states ReStore Manager Josh Chappell. Recently they’ve received beautiful furniture from area hotels who are remodeling.

Proceeds from the Habitat ReStore goes towards the administrative costs of the nonprofit so that monetary donations can be allocated to the construction of affordable housing, including the new 18-acre Legacy Pointe subdivision in Murfreesboro. After completing a Financial Literacy and Homeowner Education Program and 300-400 hours of sweat equity, Habitat Future Homeowners buy their home. RCHFH plans on building 3 houses and 1 house rehab in the fall of 2020 and 3 more house builds in the spring of 2021.

The 2020 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival was initially postponed to September 24-27. Once it became apparent that the festival could not proceed safely, the physical festival was cancelled and replaced with a virtual festival concept which will take place on those September dates. In 2021, the fest will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on June 17-20th. More information about the lineup, camping and accommodations will be available soon. The Community Foundation awarded more than $2.39 million in grants to 365 nonprofit organizations in 2019. Discretionary grants are awarded annually from its unrestricted and field-of-interest funds through an open application process to Middle Tennessee nonprofits addressing community needs and benefiting the well-being of citizens through valuable programs and innovative services.