When the Executive Director of The Loading Dock in Baltimore retired and moved to rural Maryland, she saw more than a quiet way of life and a beautiful landscape.  She also saw a great deal of poverty and realized how Hancock could benefit from a building materials reuse center. 

The Tri-State Reuse Center took one year to plan and implement by a local board and one local champion.  The doors of this building materials reuse center opened in Hancock, Maryland, in 1997.  Today the center is open four days a week serving the population in Washington and surrounding counties. 

The center started up with the same ideas and philosophies that drove The Loading Dock in Baltimore, Maryland.  Its mission is to create decent, affordable housing, to conserve natural resources, and to encourage self empowerment through advocating self sufficiency.  The goal is support both environmental and social efforts in the community.

The Community:  There are 1,725 people in Hancock, with a total of 132,000 people living in Washington County. Hancock is nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Western Maryland along the banks of the Potomac River, and just minutes away from the borders of Pennsylvania and West Virginia

Important Partnerships:  The only other social service organization in the community is the food pantry.  TriState has developed a working relationship with the food pantry for helping identify low-income eligible clients.  Another important partner is the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, who provides land and a building to the center.

Budget/Revenues: TriState Reuse Center's annual budget is $52,000.  They take in handling fees of approximately $40,000 annually.  They make up for the shortfall through a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and by raising funds in local fundraising events.  However, the organization took no grants at start-up and limits it's grant dependency.  The goal of the organization is to be self-sufficient.   Those who shop at the center must purchase an annual  membership ($7 for needy families or $20 for a standard membership).

Facility:  TriState Reuse Center is located on a 1 1/2 acres plot of land owned by the Department of Natural Resources.  The land contains a 1,200 square foot heated warehouse, which holds the center's weather sensitive items, such as glues and paints.  In addition to this building, the center consists of two mobile homes that have been gutted, one housing doors, the other housing windows.  TriState has also erected a 20' x 60' pole barn and there they house racks for molding, appliances, stair parts and other items.  In addition, they have one tractor trailer box that is used exclusively for storage.  Finally, since the building is located on the river and has a bridge, TriState also stores some items that are not heat sensitive but need to be under shelter under the bridge.  The organization paid rent to the state for 1 1/2 years, but when hard times fell on the center after September 11, the state began waiving the rent.  DNR felt that it was better to have someone occupying the space and deterring vandals than not.

Personnel:  Until a year ago, TriState was all volunteer operated.  Today, a full-time executive director does draw a modest salary.  The rest of the work, whether loading or unloading trucks, moving inventory, or whatever else needs to be done, is accomplished by a network of volunteers.  All members of the center  must work one hour per month in order to be allowed to shop at the center.  In 2001, 93 regular volunteers donated 3,000 hours of time.  The center also utilizes labor from the court system, and has other community volunteers participate in special events or programs.  Three local volunteers take in computers from the center, rebuilds them and gets them to low-income families in Hancock.

Materials Handled: TriState focuses almost exclusively on building materials, such as doors, windows, bathroom fixtures, paint, roofing materials and so on.  The organization does handle a few computers that can be refurbished.

Vehicle/Pick Up:  TriState Reuse Center does not own or lease a vehicle, and relies on volunteers with trucks who can pick up materials, or asks the donors to ship or deliver materials.  The center does receive some donations in nearby cities, such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Washington DC, and does, on occasion hire a professional freight company to transport materials to the TriState facility.

Clientele: TriState was developed to primarily serve low-income families and non-profit organization.  However, the center's dual social and environmental missions mean that the organization also serves the general public as a means of diverting  more material from disposal.  As a result of the local demographics, the center does service the under-served more often than not.  Census data for Hancock shows that 51% of the population is considered low-income, and 52% of the population are senior citizens.

Marketing:  TriState Reuse Center serves not only as a building materials reuse center, but it also serves as a community center of sorts.  The organization holds workshops to help clients learn how to do home repairs and simple installations.  In addition, the center hosts art courses in the summertime. Last year a group of high school students made an art car, a vehicle covered completely of mosaic of broken floor and wall time.  The car was taken to Baltimore for their art car parade.

Greatest Challenges:  Since the beginning, getting the center started up has been a challenge.  However, TriState's greatest challenges have occurred since September 11, 2001, and the economic downturn.  Businesses have tightened their belts and are donating less material to the center.

Overcoming Challenges:   Hitting the pavement to reach more donors on a constant basis is the only way to combat slowing donations and reduced inventories.