ReLIEF helps alleviate poverty by serving those with the lowest income — those who cannot afford the ReSTORE’s already low-cost goods — while providing training opportunities to enrolled trainees, and offering items and services for sale to a wider audience at a very reasonable cost.

The ReLIEF program also provides an opportunity for our trainees to assess, trouble-shoot, and repair donated material goods, which are then donated to families in crisis and nonprofit agencies or sold at a reasonable price to a wide customer base. The cycle of environmental stewardship (donated material goods, which might otherwise end up in the landfill are repaired and reused), educational training (assessing the functionality of items and learning how to repair large and small appliances, computers, or electronics) and economic development (through our donation program social service agencies can better serve their clients and families in crisis who can then focus on an education or job hunting) are cyclical in nature and one area cannot function without the other two working smoothly.

Since 1991, ReLIEF has served more than 7,000 low-income families through 16 voucher agencies. In addition, we are able to donate goods to more than 50 agencies and nonprofits annually. Over the past three years, the demand for essential goods has increased approximately 4 – 5% each year. With the expansion into central Vermont, ReCycle North anticipates the increase in demand for this program to increase at least 10% in the first year. We are confident that the current system of material donations, assessment and repairs by trainees, and voucher/donation will be able to handle the additional client base.

At least 850 very low-income individuals and families are served annually through the ReLIEF program, as well as people with moderate- to low-incomes who suffer catastrophes such as damage from a fire or storm, individuals who are or were recently homeless, disadvantaged youth, individuals with serious illness, recent immigrants, and battered women. ReLIEF serves people from Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, Addison, and Washington counties and specific emergencies and requests throughout the state.

For more on the ReLIEF program, email: info@resourcevt.org