Not many non-profit organizations find new ways to give back to their community, but Genesis House has done exactly that through its new store, Restored 5:17. Genesis House’s mission is to provide faith-based housing and holistic supports for women and children impacted by homelessness and domestic violence. Their vision is to empower women and children to a life of independence free from poverty, addiction and violence.
To emphasize their commitment to this mission and vision, the Genesis House opened Restored 5:17, which sells gently used furniture and home décor. The store has three goals: raising money for Genesis House, generating employment opportunities for Genesis House residents and creating opportunities to inform and educate the community regarding Genesis House and the women and children they serve.
“The Genesis House has been discussing the idea of a store for a few years,” said Becky Erdmann, the executive director of Genesis House. Unfortunately, she was unable to secure a location until she noticed a shop for sale while hosting a pop-up store at Brad’s Breads and Bakery last November. “As we were packing up the pop-up store that Saturday afternoon, I looked across the street from Brad’s to see a store front for rent,” said Erdmann. “I felt a strong nudge from the Lord, like He was making everything fall into place. I contacted Dale Pluim about the store front, we agreed to rent the space, and that is how Restored 5:17 came to be.”
However, finding a location proved to only be a small part of the process. “We started moving inventory into the space through the month of December, staged and designed the store throughout January and opened in early February,” Erdmann said. Erdmann credits one of Genesis House’s board members for her help in arranging the store in a creative and elegant fashion. “We have a board member, Julie Webster, who has experience in starting and running a store very similar to what we are going for at Restored 5:17,” Erdmann said. “We could not have gotten this far without her help. Julie, along with her sister Sue, are amazing at arranging the donated items in a classy way.”
After months of hard work, Restored held its grand opening ceremony at noon on Thursday, April 13 at 104 Central Ave. NW in Orange City. The Orange City Chamber of Commerce was present for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and Brad’s Breads and Bakery provided cookies and refreshments. Additionally, those attending could enter for a chance to win gift cards to Restored and Brad’s Breads. The grand opening was a great day for a great cause.
If anyone wants to contribute to Restored 5:17, furniture and monetary donations are welcome. Erdmann is also looking for more volunteers to work at the store throughout the week as well as a part-time paid store manager. If interested, contact her at genesishouseiowa@gmail.com.
