DirectBuy of Spokane Helps Build Two Duplexes for Local Habitat for Humanity

Whether in the showroom or on a Habitat for Humanity construction site, the staff at DirectBuy of Spokane has the same goal: "Helping people create the home of their dreams."

This past June, Habitat for Humanity finished their Blitz Build project in Spokane, WA, with help from DirectBuy. DirectBuy of Spokane owner Ron Cully involved his staff by offering to pay them half of their regular wages for any time they spent helping build the two duplexes. In addition, he gave them the opportunity to donate their earnings to a charity of their choice. For this event, the staff made a $300 donation to Habitat.

With the staff's overall contribution of 150 hours, the interiors of both units and the complete exterior of one unit were finished.

"Anyone can write a check to a charity and feel good about what they have done," says Cully. "But it takes time and human power to make things happen. Until you have spent time and looked into the eyes of the people you help, you can not fully understand what it means to contribute."

The Spokane showroom regularly donates merchandise to the Habitat store and has donated products to the Blitz Build program for the past 2 years. This year's donation consisted of all the lumber, drywall, fasteners, cabinets, sinks and faucets for one of the two duplexes (totaling just over $20,000 of materials).

"We have always contributed to Habitat simply because of the program goals of bringing the community together to build decent, affordable homes for all God's people in need," says Cully. "I particularly value that the program requires the inhabitants to contribute substantial time of their own to earn their home. It gives them a stake in the outcome, pride, dignity and a sense of self worth. And when you look at what Habitat and DirectBuy both do, we both are about fulfilling people's dreams - that parallel just seems to make things a great match."

On June 17, 2008 a dedication ceremony was held for the families and volunteers of the two completed duplexes built through Habitat for Humanity.

"Being that this was my first time doing community service, I could not have been part of a more outstanding opportunity," said DirectBuy Service Specialist Supervisor Devin Curry. "It was great being able to work with the families that were going to live in the homes we were building. The joy on the faces of the families was over whelming. It was a sense of fulfillment. This is a program I will be a part of for many years."

Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity works to build affordable, decent, and simple homes for low-income families. Habitat helps create a neighborhood families can be proud of and allows them to live a better quality of life.

About DirectBuy
For 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furniture, carpet and flooring, and custom window treatments, to kitchen and bath cabinets and fixtures, appliances and much, much more. DirectBuy enables members to purchase products from several hundred manufacturers at more than 160 showrooms across North America. To learn more about DirectBuy, visit www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.