September 5, 2015 by Carla Bruni

Keepin’ it Clean in Detroit: The Americorps Urban Safety Project’s Global Youth Service Day

Many hands make lighter work while boarding up 10 open and vacant houses and cleaning the surrounding properties in this Southwest Detroit school zone.

In case you didn’t catch the first story about the masterfully collaborative and successful AmeriCorps Urban Safety Project (AMUS), this organization recruits and activates neighborhood volunteers to tackle blight and safety issues on their block. Volunteers organize themselves into neighborhood groups that become watchdogs for their neighborhood, working with a number of different partners and sponsors, and these volunteers also work to put on large-scale neighborhood clean-ups. In April, AMUS had their Global Youth Safety Day, so before the event I connected them with Craftsman, who donated hedge clippers (action bypass loppers), mechanics tools, a wheelbarrow, a weed wacker (volt line trimmers), a hand vac, drill and impact drivers and a few other helpful things to have on site.

This “Safe Pathways” board up event targeted the Southwest Detroit neighborhood surrounding Neinas Elementary School. Citizen volunteers of all ages joined Neinas students in boarding up 10 open and vacant houses and cleaning the surrounding properties of blight and debris to make their neighborhood safer. The Detroit Police Force, dozens of pizzas, and a boatload of tools were there to help this crew get through a long day of (the best kind of) dirty work.

For more about this organization and the staggering amount of work they do to keep their city safe and engaged, visit www.amusdetroit.org. All photos courtesy of AMUS Detroit.

August 17, 2015 by Carla Bruni

How the philosophy behind the Chicago Industrial Arts and Design Center could solve the world’s problems

A bold headline perhaps, but hey, it’s true. In June, I visited the CIADC to learn more about the new nonprofit arts center in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, and was blown away by the facilities and philosophy behind the Center. What resonated most was the founder’s focus on not having prescriptive end products in the classes. It seems there is considerably less room and encouragement than there was in past decades, even in realms that are supposedly promoting these efforts, to make original work via trial and error and creative problem solving.

Last year, there was some criticism (that I very much agree with) of Legos (gasp!), drawing attention to the fact that these building blocks are not quite the creativity-inspired units they once were. Instead, we purchase pre-made kits that direct us to follow instructions with every brick having a predetermined location. This does not exactly build skills that lead to brilliant discoveries. Beyond this, the kits even tell you what girls can build vs. what boys can build, which should drive any self-respecting human insane. I don’t understand how innovation has a gender, do you? How exactly are these projects contributing to our/our kids learning process?

Beautiful, non-gendered, monstrous creation that will never be made twice (left) vs. a prescribed, cutesy end product with only the exact pieces needed to make the same prepackaged item every time (right).

Of course, this isn’t only a Lego phenomenon, not by a longshot. I took a painting class with my nieces a while back and everyone had to paint the exact same image–every kid was looking around to make sure they were doing it “right.” The paintings were still adorable, sure, but I found the process to be anxiety producing because we had to focus on recreating an expected end goal (the teacher’s example painting), instead of focusing on playing with color and space and creating something out of our imaginations, which can never be “wrong.” This isn’t about being touchy feely, it’s about not correcting a Picasso when he paints something a different way. As a society, we mass manufacture, buy wholesale, feel pressured to keep up with norms, and are called out on all of our choices on social media to keep us in check. If we all do everything the same way, how on earth will we ever progress, solve the problems of the world, push the boundaries of the arts, etc.? How will we ever do anything great?

CIADC Member, Natalie, forging steel belt buckles by heating the steel round stock and hammering into shape with the 24oz Craftsman ball-pein hammer.

The hammer and anvil are a classic combination for metal makers.

But I digress…the point is simply to remember the spirit of creativity and the benefits it reaps. I believe this spirit is captured at the CIADC. None of the projects shown were for classes that specifically taught belt making or frame fabricating or, lord knows, bike trailer manufacturing. They simply evolved as the process unfolded. Methods changed, mediums changed. This is encouraged, not frowned upon.

When you want ultimate control of the fastening torque, nothing beats a good old manual phillips head screwdriver. Laura, the CIADC Woodworking Department Manager, is assembling a plywood cross-cut box for the table saw.

Basically, classes at the Center teach you about a specific medium and you decide the trajectory. If you decide that you want to work with metal and wood simultaneously to complete a project you dream up, all the better. The idea is not to limit but to expand options and methods. As someone who works in various architectural fields, I can’t tell you how useful it would be if architects, engineers, and contractors would cross-collaborate!

CIADCs founder and Metalworking Department Manager, Matt, shows students the Craftsman aviator sheet metal snips while cutting 18ga steel to be bent into an open-faced box. Snips are great for cutting both geometric and organic forms from sheet metal.

The man behind the initiative, Matt Runfola, was kind enough to send some pictures of the CIADC students and members in action. You don’t have to be a member to take classes, by the way, but members do have additional privileges such as discounted classes.

Long-time CIADC student, Jeremy, demonstrates an outside-the-box use of the Craftsman 24” Carpenter Square. Here, he uses it to set a parallel fence to cut perfect sizes on our metal cutting band saw. Jeremy is working on a bicycle cargo trailer at CIADC.

Having the right tools on hand make the tasks safer and easier. New CIADC student, Shelly, adjusts the miter gauge for the table saw with combination wrenches. Shelly was cutting beautiful mitered wood frames for her 2D art.

The best part about tools is that they can be used in many different ways for many different things–this is but a tiny sampling of how the CIADC will use the tools we shipped from Craftsman. For more information on the wide range of class options and the philosophy that guides the Center, please check out their website. Tools help us to make our world more functional, interesting, and beautiful, but of course the most versatile tool of all is our noggin. Use it. Explore. Have fun out there!

August 3, 2015 by Carla Bruni

The Chicago Artists Coalition: Building Community and Spaces for Artists. Literally.

Exhibition view of “A Challenge to the Summer Group Show: BOLT Alumni Exhibition & Dialogue.” Photo credit: Joseph Belknap.

The Chicago art scene has never been New York’s in terms of the number of overall galleries, artists, critics, and patrons. But, as a biased Chicagoan, I’d argue that this has been a benefit to many of our artists and by extension, the world at large. While we’ve won renown for our collections and art institutions, the local artists found their own paths to supporting themselves and their peers. One could argue that this has helped artists dig deeper and develop their personal styles to a greater degree and to even be irreverent(!) towards prevailing movements, which, of course, is where the really interesting stuff comes in.

“The Entry of Christ into Chicago,” 1976. Artist: Roger Brown. Brown was an important part of Chicago’s art scene in the 1970s (and in the following couple of decades) as part of the Chicago Imagists movement. The Roger Brown Study Collection, a house museum, gallery space, and archive is still open to the public. His collection is incredible. If you haven’t been to the Roger Brown House

Getting into the history of art in Chicago is more a novel than a blog post, but it’s worth digging into the history of groups and smaller museums such as the Hyde Park Art Center, the DuSable Museum, the Chicago Imagists, the Public Art Workshop, Movimiento Artistico Chicago, and Artemesia, which played especially important roles for artists in the 1960s and 70s. These entities fostered creative environments, outlets for social activism and overall support in a city that is and was incredibly diverse but not investing much in its local artists. We’ve exported many of our best and most innovative artists through the years, but their roots in Chicago were undeniably crucial to their development.

Public Art Workshop mural project created with Chicago Community Youth in 1970. “Protect the People’s Homes.” Photo credit: Mark Rogovin. There is an excellent archive of Rogovin’s photographs documenting public art murals during this time here.

Recent group discussion of a Chicago Artists Coalition HATCH Projects exhibition “Extraordinary Effort, Spectacular Failure.” Photo credit: Lori Felker.

This is why we were so excited to connect with the Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC), another group that grew out of the 1970s movement to create a better environment and future for Chicago’s artistic community. As the identity and needs of local artists have evolved, the Coalition’s approaches and advocacy have adapted to keep artists working and supported. A number of workshops are hosted in a wide variety of mediums, including providing opportunities for emerging artists to hone their ability to mount professional exhibitions in the CAC’s gallery space. You know what building and installing an exhibit requires? Incredible amounts of creativity and lead preparators who can teach best practices and innovative, experimental methods for installation and exhibition? Yes. But it also requires, well, tools.

Install THAT. Gallery view of installation by HATCH Artists, Mara Baker and Nina Barnett. Photo credit: Eva Deitch.

We’ll show off some installation building (something I’ve certainly never gotten to see in action) in the near future with the help of some Craftsman tools and fantastic teachers and Chicago artists. In the meantime, check out current workshops and exhibitions happening at the CAC!

June 24, 2015 by Carla Bruni

The Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center: Forging Creativity. Literally.

I’ve been playing around with metal arts since I was 15, so when I heard that a multidisciplinary arts center with welding and forging facilities was moving into a giant warehouse near my home, some blood vessels burst in my eye. There are not many of these spaces in Chicago, so I immediately contacted Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center (CIADC) founder Matt Runfola to see how to get involved and how Craftsman might be able to help.

The Chicago Radio Laboratory signage still remains in the building, and Matt is proud of the history of the space, which gave birth to Zenith Electronics via the work of makers a century ago.

Matt ran the Evanston Arts Center’s metalworking program for the last 13 years, but when the organization made plans to move to a new building this year, the new space was unable to accommodate metalworking facilities. So Matt decided to go off on his own and go bigger and better by taking over a poured concrete and masonry building that would be mighty hard to burn down. This woodless construction allowed for welding, forging, and even casting to take place in the building and with a full three stories to play with, there was ample space to fabricate objects using any methods he could dream up.

Forging and metalworking equipment!

So, beyond the firey arts that make my heart swell, there are numerous other workstations in the CIADC building, allowing for glass blowing, wood working (which Craftsman will now be providing numerous tools for, since the greatest need was in this department), and even 3-D printing and electronics. This is all very intentional–the purpose is not to teach people how to fabricate a prescribed end product, but to make them work out a project using a broader creative process.

Woodworking space.

Basically, you could learn to make a wood table top, then learn how to weld a table base, then cast a vase to sit on top of the thing. Then you could buy some flowers for the vase, model a necklace on a computer, and fabricate it at a jewelry station and have a damned dinner party. It’s not about production, it’s about process and creating something that is truly unique and from your own wonderful brain.

3-D printing studio and electronics space.

This way of thinking reminded me of my time spent with the Austin Tinkering School and their philosophy of learning and fostering true creativity and problem solving skills, which we are sorely lacking these days. If you can’t make this one way, figure out another way, or take the project in a new direction. There are a million ways to accomplish a goal and nothing is right or wrong. That’s the fun of it and what expands our brains. That’s art, science, alchemy, and what’s going to get us through any number of sticky situations in the future, in and out of the studio.

For more on the CIADC and to sign up for classes (this session is starting soon!), click here.

Where the magic happens. (Photo courtesy of the CIADC)

Where the magic happens in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood. (Photo courtesy of the CIADC)

May 30, 2015 by Carla Bruni

Grave Matters in Indiana: Restoring a Civil War-era Cemetery and Activating Public Green Space

The iconic gates.

Some people think cemeteries are creepy. I happen to think of them as stunningly attractive research repositories and peaceful oases in the midst of our densely populated cities and noisy highways. But then, I also happen to like things that are a little creepy. Historically, cemeteries were not only burial grounds, but green spaces where children would play, families would picnic, and smitten teenagers would hold hands, etc. – all that good stuff we do in parks.

A portion of the cemetery as it stands today. Lovely, right? (Photo by JSG Design)

In fact, the 21 acres of City Cemetery was the first planned open space in South Bend when it was designed in 1832, and this land is now seen as an opportunity to celebrate the artistry of the wrought iron gates and elaborate monuments, but also as a great opportunity to bring beautiful, recreational space in an area of the city that is in dire need of green space.

But, alas, over time and with the help of privatization and rising burials costs, the function of these beautiful open spaces as public gathering places has really gone by the wayside and is even discouraged. The good news is that we found a group working hard to restore a Civil War era cemetery in South Bend, Indiana, and in an effort to curb future vandalism of the stones and landscapes, they hope to go yet another step to bring back the recreational aspects of cemeteries. The more people and foot traffic, the more the space is activated and made less attractive to troublemakers. We connected the South Bend Parks Foundation, The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend (HPC), and the History Museum with Craftsman, who went a long way to help their summer restoration efforts with a generous tool donation. The more tools, the more volunteer hands to buff out the stone and clean up the land.

Re-enactors portray local historical figures at a May event. (Photo by the South Bend Tribune)

Re-enactors portray local historical figures at a May event. The media has been picking up on this story quite a bit in May–apparently a lot of people in South Bend weren’t even aware that the cemetery existed because it’s tucked away between neighborhoods. That said, the cemetery plan was developed with over a year of public input and meetings. (Photo from the South Bend Tribune)

To date, efforts to celebrate the legacy of the historic City Cemetery include writing a National Register nomination for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, managing a project to digitize cemetery records, and reaching out to local media to discuss the restoration and vandalism issues. On May 9th, there were guided tours with dozens of historical re-enactors and local history experts telling tales of some of those entombed at the cemetery, which was also in partnership with a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

We will have updates on the restoration work, but if you want to get involved there will be a presentation on June 20th discussing cemetery symbolism, tombstone facts, and proper methods of cleaning headstones, immediately followed by a hands-on workshop on how to clean the headstones with some brand spankin’ new Craftsman tools. You can bet I’ll be at some of these events. The HPC and South Bend Parks Foundation will host volunteer days on July 18th and August 15th for more restoration work.

For more information on City Cemetery, check this out.

For more information on how to get involved, click here.

April 8, 2015 by Carla Bruni

It’s Spring, Y’all: Get Busy like the Bees

Last year, my ecologist friend and I made some mason bee houses because, well, there are fewer and fewer places for them to take up residence and fewer and fewer pollinators out there. Basically, we’d like to keep eating food that comes out of the ground, so we picked up some wood scraps, grabbed some circular saws and drills and went to town one Sunday afternoon.

It turns out, these little houses (some people call them “bee hotels”) were so fruitful and good-looking that they allowed me to spread my wings as well, though to slightly fancier quarters to a resort in the hills of California. I was asked to teach a workshop on how to make these little abodes with a bunch of other handy people at the Craftsman MAKEcation event, and since it’s the perfect time of year to build them, I figured I’d post how to do them here as well. So, here are the deets:

Making some homes for nonthreatening little pollinators at last year’s MAKEcation.

WHY YOU MUST LOVE MASON BEES

They are gentle beings, with stings no stronger than a mosquito bite. In fact, they are generally promoted as not stinging at all. So stop judging them!
They are very efficient pollinators; only a few hundred are needed per acre. The dramatic decline of the honey bee population has led to small or misshapen fruit (or no fruit at all). These little mason bees have helped bring back trees that hadn’t produced fruit for years.
They are remarkably easy to keep, having few pest or disease problems and minimal management needs.
They are industrious little buggers and fun to observe in action.

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED

Cordless drill (or, if you’re drilling into old growth wood, you may want a drill press)
Extra-long drill bit (need to be able to drill 3-5″ deep)
Sand paper (100 grit)
Miter saw (any kind of saw will work–these are quicker and easier if you’re cutting angles for a roof)
Brad nailer and nails (also optional, you could screw these boards together if you prefer)
Tape measure
(Optional) Paint brushes and paint – the bees seems to especially like blue and yellow

TIPS ON MAKING THEIR HOMES

Avoid pressure treated wood.
Avoid aromatic woods like cedar.
Make sure wood is at least 4” thick (I would recommend it be 6-7” thick).
Lay out a series of holes approximately 1” apart.
Drill holes to between 3-5” deep (do not drill all the way through wood).
Keep hole diameter close to 5/16”.
Keep dry by creating an overhanging roof.

SETTING OUT YOUR NESTING BLOCKS

Put out in early spring. They are only around for 6-8 weeks, then the rest of the year the new generation will be in the holes developing until winter and then hibernating until spring.
Mason bees begin to emerge at around the same time that crocuses and forsythias bloom.
Place under eaves, decks, or other protected spots (if there is an overhanging roof on the house you build, this isn’t really necessary).
Their houses should always face south or east, receiving some morning or early afternoon sun, and be placed so that the holes are horizontal.
Mason bees also require a source of clay or mud to build their nests. Dig a small pit around a foot deep and make sure it’s open and accessible throughout the active season.

Super easy and pretty crucial for our ecosystem, so just set a few hours aside and feel really good about this project.

One of the bee homes from the event. They come in all shapes and sizes. As long as you drill the holes properly and set them out as described, they will work!

Also, if you’re looking for actual hands-on workshops—er, workshops that are free and involve good eating, drinking and entertainment in between the hands-on stuff, the next MAKEcation is coming up this summer. TIP: From now through July 31, Craftsman Club members can enter for a chance to win a trip to the Craftsman MAKEcation event by visiting www.craftsman.com/makecation. In 2014, I learned everything from blacksmithing techniques to how to properly grill a fish, and also became friends with a chainsaw artist named Curtis (include photo). I don’t know where you all live, but these are things that just don’t happen in Chicago. This year, Craftsman is kicking the action up a notch by bringing some of the nation’s top tool experts, artists and mechanics to sharpen your existing skills and to teach you new ones. They also happen to be partnering up with the World Maker Faire and providing a free ticket to attend the event, which will be held in Brooklyn at the same time. Huge perk.

Curtis! He carved these out so quickly it was astonishing. But here’s a tip: don’t sneak up behind a chainsaw artist when he or she is working.

So, go get your hands dirty and do something good for our environment and our food supply. Then sign up for discounts and a possible free making vacation to learn even more ways to get your hands dirty.

THEN, Check back at ToolMade to hear follow-up about the incredible group in Detroit that we’re working with next month. Yes, all this sunshine and non-arctic weather has me energized and bossy. But it’s all for the greater good.

Happy Spring!

April 6, 2015 by Carla Bruni

Protecting Detroit with the AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program

A recent board up event. They even add color! (Photo: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program)

Sure, Detroit has its troubles, but it also has some relentless volunteers and an astonishing amount of heart. I recently learned about the AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program (AMUS), a crew that focuses on the unique challenges in targeted areas of the city. I’ve worked with AmeriCorps to fix up old buildings in the past, but this program is tailor made to help Detroit’s youth feel safer and like they can be a part of the solution.

Cleaning up around the perimeter of these properties is a crucial part of changing the feel of the neighborhood. (Photo: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program)

AMUS collaborates with local non-profits, businesses, police departments and residents to improve public safety through a number of initiatives, tackling everything from shoveling sidewalks and cleaning up public spaces to securing and boarding up vacant homes and hanging signage. It all adds up and it all makes a difference.

Measuring out the boards. (Photo: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program)

AMUS is planning more of these “Safe Pathways” board up events this April, and ToolMade and Craftsman will be putting a bunch of tools into the hands of these incredible folks. The targeted areas for these board ups are usually located around schools to create these “safe pathways” for Detroit’s younger folks, and students will be participating in these events as well. As of this month, after just 5 years, the project has boarded up more than 600 vacant and open structures, and this could not have happened without funding from state agencies, private foundations, and individuals. So, I’m pleased as punch that we get to partner.

Gettin’ ‘er done. (Photo: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program)

Updates will be posted soon, showing off the upcoming Spring events. In the meantime, for more information or to get involved with AMUS, check out their website at http://www.amusdetroit.org/. Videos of the program in action can also be viewed on their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/AMUSproject.

Marking the territory! (Photo: AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program)

February 26, 2015 by Carla Bruni

Restoring an 1872 Courthouse and Revitalizing a Downtown

This beauty was slated to become a parking lot 5 years ago. This post is about the group that saved it and their plans for the future. They are basically a collection of George Baileys, all living in a single town.

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the Effingham County Courthouse (now the Effingham County Museum), a town centerpiece that was almost torn down in 2009 due to deferred maintenance and a tight county budget. It was, if you can believe it, slated to become a parking lot. After visiting courthouses in 17 counties all over Illinois, I learned that this was a relatively common story.

Ever see the top of an historic courthouse dome? Neither had I until recently. NEAT. They have plans for this puppy as well.

Effingham is one of those counties fortunate to have a group of visionaries who saw the value in keeping the building that set their town and business district apart. There were dissenters in the beginning, but with some grant funding to help restore and enhance the grand entryways to the building, loads of paint and furniture donations, and over 35,000 volunteer hours, the newly formed Effingham County Cultural Center and Museum Association was able to sway most of the nay sayers. A ton of work has already been done and the impacts have been felt with the opening of 4 or 5 new businesses on the town square, which surrounds the courthouse, and this highly visible restoration work and can-do attitude is also having a ripple effect around the business district.

This is the 2nd floor before the building was taken over by a group of concerned citizens who couldn’t bear to see the building demolished. This was obviously a remodeled version of the 1870s courtroom (ohhhh, those ceilings are painful), but the residents who wanted to turn their town’s centerpiece into a museum and community center had a dream of opening the space back up to its former glory. (Photo courtesy of the Effingham County Cultural Center and Museum Association)

The story was so moving and the work that had already been done was so impressive, that there was no way they weren’t getting some tools to help continue this gargantuan task of continuing to fix up this place and make it a sustainable entity, able to attract tourism dollars and events. The first floor of the courthouse focuses on the role of transportation in Effingham County history and as a cultural center focused on the visual arts with gallery and educational space. There is an incredible collection of historic artifacts and even a display of the town in miniature, painstakingly crafted by a local artist.

Ta-da!!!!! Look at that ceiling! The tin ceiling was found above that abysmal drop ceiling…but because the building is so old, there was actually an even older layer under the tin. That’s how you know something is really, really old, folks.

The original second floor opens into a single, large courtroom space with a domed ceiling with decorative metal panels. This room is incredibly dramatic and is in the process of being remodeled (and in some areas, brought back to the original layouts) to be used by local community organizations. The main courtroom space will be multi-functional and hold house museum exhibits, art exhibits, community meetings and small concerts. A large stage is in the process of being built and is absolutely killer.

In case you were curious, the oldest ceiling layer is actually made of some kind of canvas-like fabric. Yes, fascinating. They aren’t going to be able to restore it to that layer, but are keeping some of it as an artifact. We got up onto the scaffolding and geeked out on this one.

Some much needed Craftsman tools will be shipping out to the courthouse in the coming weeks and put into the hands of these incredible volunteers. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of the restoration and buildout!

January 22, 2015 by Carla Bruni

Deconstruction Follow-up with the Evanston ReBuilding Workforce

A month after receiving their collection of deconstruction tools, ToolMade met on site with the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse’s workforce trainees. They were dismantling the interior of a home that would have otherwise been smashed to bits, carefully taking up floorboards, denailing trim, and removing whatever interior elements were able to be resold at the warehouse.

In just three years, through deconstruction and donations, the warehouse has helped to divert tens of thousands of tons of demolition debris from the waste stream, and has then resold all of that material at incredibly low prices so that everyone, regardless of income level, can fix up their home.

: Eugene and Red pulling up floorboards. Old hardwood sells like crazy.

: It’s laborious, but worth the effort.

: Checking out the condition and efficiency of mechanical systems to see if they are resalable.

: Kevin and Nelson loading up kitchen cabinets. Huge numbers of kitchen and bathroom cabinets are sold at the warehouse for a steal. The trick is just measuring them properly.

: The tool bag, full of free goodies. Showing up on a job site after this training been completed with one’s own stash of tools is critical.

: Brett denailing boards.

: The deconstruction workers have to measure, document, bundle, and label all of the materials (along with put their initials on them in case of missing parts, etc.)

: Dave removoing trim.

: Volunteers and staff bringing in donated materials.

: Cabinets for days!

: This is a very small sampling of the lighting fixtures that available. I’ve never seen so many chandeliers in my life.

: Yup.

: Vinyl windows aren’t accepted – they get to be picky at the warehouse. For the most part, only historic wood windows and Marvin windows are accepted (they have excellent hiring practices)

: Sorting once the flooring is back at the warehouse.

: Ila cleaning up a donated chandelier for resale.

December 9, 2014 by Carla Bruni

Deconstruction Pioneers: Rebuilding Homes and Hope at the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse

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Some of the workforce training crew in a victory pose post-Craftsman donation. From left to right: Red, Doug, Lou, Eugene, and Brett. Lou opened the warehouse just three years ago and is incredibly dedicated to the trainees and expanding the program.

The Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 by Lou Dickson, a retired general contractor who was fed up with all of the construction debris clogging up the landfills. Working in Chicago and in the North Shore suburbs, there was a neverending supply of perfectly good (often very high end) building materials being trashed due to a lack of alternatives and education for both contractors and homeowners. She began trying to change legislation and stockpiling materials from her jobs until she happened to notice some available warehouse space near her home and pulled the trigger. She has essentially created a mini empire since that first lease was signed, and has already expanded the space twice. Believe me, she could fill up the state of Texas with amazing architectural saves if given the chance. Lou, though petite and ever-smiling and polite with a British accent, is an absolute force to be reckoned with.

You want cabinets? We got cabinets! You want lighting fixtures! You can’t find a place to rest your eyes without seeing a dozen of them. Mind you, this is only one aisle in this ever-expanding 13,000 sf warehouse.

There are nonprofits with a noble mission and then there are NONPROFITS WITH A NOBLE MISSION. I mean, there are so many missions at this place that you pretty much go straight to heaven if you buy a used bucket sink. Here’s what this now 13,000 SF warehouse space has accomplished since it began just 3 years ago:

Over 13,000 volunteer hours logged
Over 700 memberships
Hundreds of tons of building materials diverted from landfills
7 paid staff members and 4 paid workforce trainers
5 workforce training programs with 27 trainees, 5 currently in the program and 3 more joining next month (yes, all trainees are also paid, and paid above minimum wage)
25 educational programming workshops for professionals and homeowners
Deconstruction projects throughout the county
First workforce training for Deconstruction certification in the county and a new training model in the U.S. that incorporates life skills such as tutoring in English, math, computer literacy, fiscal literacy, and nutrition, in addition to teaching the hard skills needed for certification

The warehouse and workforce training programs would never have happened without an incredible group of volunteers. Volunteers consist of contractors Lou has ensnared to help out, local do-gooders, architects, a retired chemist, groups of high school students, university students, a pilot…people of all skill levels and backgrounds.

The workforce training classes have focused on adults who are formerly or presently homeless, low-income, or ex-offenders having a difficult time reintegrating into the workforce. By addressing their behavioral, educational, and physical health challenges, those who complete the 7-month program have a very high success rate finding jobs and a level of economic and social stability. Other trainees have just been disappointed with the low-paying jobs and lack of meaningful work available after high school or college, and wanted to do some hard work that would eventually pay off both financially and ethically. All are welcome, and the retention rate has been exceptional.

Dave, who started as a trainee and is not an Assistant Trainer, pulling nails on some historic wood flooring. The reclaimed flooring sells so quickly it sometimes doesn’t even make it to the warehouse floor before being claimed by a customer.

The warehouse sells an insane amount of architectural artifacts, tubs, sinks, toilets, flooring, plumbing fixtures, and whatever else was able to be diverted from the waste stream and all staff and overhead is paid for by the sale of these items. The workforce training, on the other hand, relies heavily on grant funding. Things like tools are obviously top priority, so ToolMade put together a list of items they use most often on the site and Craftsman delivered big time. Deconstruction is one of those wonderful jobs where someone can literally start a business with just a good tool bag of what they need. This is the tool bag we put together for each of the workforce trainees, based on what they need most to take apart homes:

Most of the loot. With these tools, each workforce trainee can show up on a job site after completing their certification with the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse and be taken seriously.

Any contractor will tell you that you never want to show up on a job site without tools. Even if you’re hired for a quick job and are more than competent, it unfortunately lessens your credibility with others on the job, and other times can prevent you from getting work in the first place. The 2014-15 graduates will literally leave the program like deconstruction superstars, saving incredible building materials with a full arsenal of both incredible and appropriate skills and tools. Lemme tell you, that makes a difference.

It costs almost $17,000 for each trainee to go through the program. Well worth it, certainly, but please consider a donation to the Evanston ReBuilding Warehouse. Every cent will go towards workforce training because staff and overhead is covered by sales at the warehouse, but there is not a surplus. See how you can help here: http://evanstonrebuildingwarehouse.org/donate/