Feature Articles

Responsible Building | Local Food | Local Supports Local | Wheel Works

Responsible Building | Habitat ReStores

Habitat ReStores are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. Many affiliates across the United States and Canada operate successful restores—some of which raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or more houses per year. Habitat ReStore’s Goals are to:

  • Generate cash flow to support habitat’s home building program
  • Keep valuable materials out of local area landfills
  • Provide community with a source of low-cost building materials
  • Provide an opportunity to volunteer at the Habitat ReStore

Habitat for Humanity accepts donations of new and saleable, used building materials such as cabinets, lighting and plumbing fixtures, doors, lumber, flooring, and windows. Some materials will be used to build habitat houses. The rest will be sold to the public at 50-75% off the retail price. There are over 500 Habitat ReStores in the U.S. and Canada. Three of them in our area include South Bend, Mishawaka, and Elkhart locations. You can find them in the Michiana Green Pages “Buildings, Homes & Gardens” section.

The Habitat ReStore makes home improvement more affordable while helping Habitat build more homes. At the same time, usable building materials are kept out of our landfills. You can help by donating new and used building materials, volunteering in the stores and purchasing from the stores.

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Local Food | Community Supported Agriculture

Community supported agriculture (CSA) is a new idea in farming, one that has been gaining momentum since its introduction to the United States from Europe in the mid-1980’s. The CSA concept originated in the 1960’s in Switzerland and Japan, where consumers interested in safe food and farmers seeking stable markets for their crops joined together in economic partnerships. Most CSAs in the U.S. are located near urban centers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic stated and the Great Lakes region, with growing numbers in other areas, including the West Coast.

Since our existence is primarily dependent on farming, we can’t entrust this essential activity solely to the farming population –just 2% of Americans. As farming becomes more remote from the life of the average person, it becomes less able to provide us with clean, healthy, life giving food or a clean, healthy, life giving environment. As more people are coming to recognize this, they’re becoming ready to share agricultural responsibilities with active farmers.

CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge financial and sometimes labor support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production. Most CSAs offer a diversity of vegetables, fruits, and herbs in season; some provide a full array of farm produce, including shares in eggs, meat, milk, baked goods, and even firewood. Each CSA is structured to meet the needs of the participants, so many variations exist, including the level of financial commitment and active participation by the shareholders.

So if you enjoy digging your hands in the dirt, working together with like minded folk to help grow healthy food and communities, or just want to consume food that is good for you and your community consider joining a CSA near you, or look into starting your own.

Local CSAs in this directory:

  • Bertrand Farm
  • Goshen Farmers Market
  • Plowshares Farm

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Local supports Local | Circa Arts Gallery

CircaArts Gallery is dedicated to supporting local artists. We are part of the emerging arts corridors in downtown South Bend.

We are also part of the emerging East Bank Village, a great urban neighborhood on the east side of downtown South Bend. There are many unique businesses in between urban living next to the East Race and great parks.

Circa Arts Gallery is housed in a building that was built in 1904 by Charles McCormick. Kathy Reddy White and Gary White bought the building in January of 1999. They rehabilitated the entire building which now houses two businesses and two apartments. The Charles McCormick building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

CircaArts Gallery is very involved in the downtown arts community. We have created two Art Walks: Spring Art Walk on the first Saturday in May and the Holiday Art Walk on the first Saturday in December. We also host other great events like Hip Pocket several times per year. Kathy Reddy White was instrumental in helping to create Art Beat and has been active in the development of the East Bank Village.

As a local business, we believe in supporting other local businesses and local artists as well as in preserving existing buildings still standing in downtown South Bend.

~Kathy Reddy White
CircaArts Gallery
Downtown South Bend

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Wheel Works | Michiana Bicycle Coalition

The solution to some of the world’s biggest problems is sitting in your garage. And it’s not your car. Remember getting your first bicycle? I bet you don’t remember what else you got that Christmas. Because the bike was it. Your first taste of freedom, and self-sufficiency. Back then, you didn’t have to drive ten miles to a health club to ride a fake bicycle in front of a TV for exercise. Fitness, ecology and joy just came with your bike.

In 1964, 50% of kids rode to school and the obesity rate was 12%. In 2004, 3% rode to school and the obesity rate was 45%. Today, 25% of all car trips are made within one mile of the home; 40% with two miles. This is crazy.

The bike sitting in your garage is not a recreational toy. It’s a weapon. In the battle against oil dependency, global warming, commuter stress, obesity, depression. Because when you make a single trip by bicycle, society as a whole benefits.

Which gets us to the heart of things: a bike is a spiritual alternative, to the bondage of our unsustainable transportation culture. A visible witness, to the belief that we can actually survive an entire day, or travel more than three blocks, without a car.

The Michiana economy grew up on the automobile industry, not bikes or sustainable practices. We need you help developing a Bicycle Friendly Community.

Here’s how:

Jeff Nixa, bike commuter.
Michiana Bicycle Coalition

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