“It’s a community effort,” said Robert Kanzig, director of ReStore, adding that Ada’s downtown community center offer countless services to the community.
Kanzig updated Ada Area Chamber of Commerce members on the work and mission of the Main Street store during the Jan. 16 chamber meeting at Vancrest.
He said that ReStore offer emergency food, free lunches five days a week, a free dinner on Tuesdays, euchre on Thursday, and its Beacon Fund helps families in times of extreme hardship.
Other services include access to quality clothing, free low-income tax filing, tutoring students by ONU students, and ONU Healthwise (pharmacy) students offer blood pressure checks during Tuesday’s evening meal.
During the summer, it provides a weekday Picnic in the Park with free lunch to local youth. In 2017, it provided 1,436 free meals. It also provides an annual Thanksgiving meal, which fed 150 people in 2017 with financial help from local churches and Ada Lions Club.
ReStore is supported by Ada First United Methodist Church, Hardin County United Way, Hardin Foundation and many Ada residents.
Kanzig said that the community can help by providing volunteers and funding. ReStore was started in 2006 by members of Ada’s First United Methodist.
Restore Community Store is not affiliated with the national ReStore agency.
Three persons on the payroll with volunteers (average age 67) working in the store on a regular basis. Part of Kanzig role at ReStore is to maintain its database, do public relations, graphic design, and write grants for funding.
Hours of operation follow:
Monday (11-4)
Tuesday (1-6)
Wednesday (11-4)
Thursday (11-4)
Friday (11-2).
