TOOLBANK NETWORK NEWS – SEPTEMBER 2023

ToolBank Disaster Services Deploys for Hurricane Idalia

Our TDS team has been on the road to kick off the beginning of fall and hurricane season. After spending a week in Denver with our friends at The Home Depot Foundation on one of their community builds, Trey Bearden and Bill Hess started work on a new trailer. This trailer will reside at our Denver Disaster Services Hub, which we got off the ground with help from the American Red Cross. We will be co-locating with the Salvation Army. Check out the button below to see how they build out a TDS trailer to get prepped for our blue tools.

After working in Denver, Bill went down to Live Oak and Perry, FL, to respond to Hurricane Idalia. The pictures showcase our setup alongside Team Rubicon. He also stopped dropping tools off in Georgia to help with the disaster from the tornadoes that sprung up after the hurricane. Jaime Valle, from our Puerto Rico TDS team, also made his way to Florida to aid in response efforts and get tools into the hands of volunteers helping homeowners get back into their residences. Stay tuned for more Hurricane Idalia and deployments information in our monthly blog!

Denver Trailer Build Out

Long-Term Efforts Continue in New Orleans for Areas Impacted by Hurricane Ida

It’s almost been two years since Hurricane Ida made landfall on the coast of Louisiana. The damage is still being seen today as our blue tools continue to help the impacted homeowners. Volunteers from Blessed Assurance Mission were helping demo and rebuild a home for a single mother of four boys pictured to the right.

Projects are also happening in Pointe-aux-Chenes, Louisiana. Volunteers from Brethren Disaster Ministries are rebuilding 2 homes with our tools. These homes belong to members of the indigenous tribe in that area. TDS is very proud to continue our efforts of long-term recovery in this area with our New Orleans ToolBank.

Check out what’s going on at each of our ToolBanks across the nation. Scroll down to each affiliate and expand the text block to read more about your favorite ToolBank team. All of our affiliates are doing amazing work and we can’t wait to share their updates with you monthly.

Make sure and scroll through the images to the right of our affiliate updates. Most of the updates come with a couple of images related to their article.

Atlanta ToolBank Update:

The Atlanta ToolBank hosted their first Par-Tee Golf Outing on Tuesday, September 12 at The Manor Golf & Country Club. The team was joined by over 18 groups of golfers made up of sponsors, supporters, donors, and friends of the ToolBank. Golfers received some great swag packaged in a cooler that included coupons to Chick-fil-a and a mini bottle of Tito’s for some fun on the course. The ToolBank’s friends at Jimmy John’s provided a boxed lunch for the golfers and volunteers as well. Sounds like your group had a wonderful day on the links and even managed to avoid some bad weather! Congrats on your first golf outing fundraiser!

Baltimore ToolBank Update:

The Baltimore ToolBank hosted our friends from UPS for an afternoon of service. The 16 UPS volunteers logged 48 hours and tackled a number of projects, including pairing 400 gloves, removing 68 pounds of litter from our street, and rebuilding eight shelf units to help us recover from a large construction project! In addition to support from local UPSers, the ToolBank partners with the company nationally on meaningful projects and services, including domestic disaster relief. Together able to go deeper in service to partners across the country thanks to their effort and support of the ToolBank network!

The ToolBank also had volunteers in from the Baltimore Orioles in August. This group helped the team prep 20 wheelbarrows, pair hundreds of gloves, and sort hundreds of buckets to deploy for a 9/11 Day of Service for The 6th Branch.

Charlotte ToolBank Update:

The Charlotte ToolBank had a lot to celebrate in August…whether it was the birthday of a loyal volunteer, Tristan, the work anniversaries of their staff, or Charlotte PRIDE, this group had a month of parties! Both Michelle Yow, Program Manager, and Shannon Hoffman celebrated their first anniversary at the ToolBank.

Then the ToolBank supported six member agencies with special equipment for the PRIDE celebration including: Charlotte Pride, Hearts United for Good, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte, Lowe’s Home Improvement Foundation, Roof Above, and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. The combined group used 189 ToolBank special event items for their booths and parade floats! The Charlotte team was so excited to see one of their newest tools – a folding wagon – in the parade holding the Lowe’s giveaway items!

Cincinnati ToolBank Update:

In August, the Cincinnati ToolBank received a big gift that brings them one step closer to finishing their second floor training center and office space remodel. The Haile Foundation provided a $50,000 grant to the ToolBank. The 10,000-square-foot space will function as a collaborative educational center. The goal, according to executive director Kat Pepmeyer, is to use it to “bridge gaps in the areas of tool use, repair and safety, workforce development, youth and young adult introduction to tools and trades and disaster preparedness.” Beyond the dedicated training area, the center will have spaces for co-working, a conference room, meeting spots, offices and a kitchenette. Use the button below to read the full article from Movers & Makers.

The ToolBank also hosted a group of volunteers from California Closets. These volunteers outfitted the second floor build out with some incredible storage options in four different areas including office closet storage, paper storage above the copier, shelving and a coat rack behind the wet bar, and tool storage by the training center.

Also, if you are in or around the Cincinnati area on Thursday, October 19th, come check out their Hammers & Ales event at the Fowling Warehouse!

Haile Foundation grant puts Cincinnati ToolBank closer to opening training center

Houston ToolBank Update:

The Houston ToolBank is hosting their first Axes & Aces Charity Poker Tournament on Thursday, September 21. Your ticket will include entry into the tournament, food, adult beverages and loads of fun with friends of the ToolBank. Join the at 5:45pm for check-in, as game play will start promptly at 6pm. There will be lots of great prizes and a chance to rebuy-in.

Houston secured a ton of amazing sponsors who helped provide great prizes for the tournament. Prize sponsors include: Alley Theatre, Berg Hospitality, Brookstone Construction, Capt. Matt Parrish, Gents Place, Hai Hospitality, Houston Dash, Nice Winery, Pappas Restaurants, Tito’s Vodka, Total Wine & More, Valencia Hotel Group and more!

Galena Park Ace Hardware will also be providing the Top 5 Players with their very own AXE!

Also, if you’re in the Houston area on Saturday, October 14, join the ToolBank team for their Tool Trot. This year, the Tool Trot will be virtual with an in-person kick-off event. Join the ToolBank team for the kick-off at 10AM at Selena Quintanilla Perez Park in Denver Harbor. Participants can pick up their packets and trash grabbers, enjoy a light breakfast, and download the app to get started. There will be a celebratory walk around the Park and neighborhood to get everyone a jump start on their step and cleanup goals. After the kick-off, participants will take their trash grabbers and use the app to track their steps while cleaning up their own neighborhoods and communities until the virtual event closes on October 31st.

Phoenix ToolBank Update:

The Phoenix ToolBank is beyond excited to reveal our signature ToolBank collaborative t-shirt with State Forty Eight. State Forty Eight, named for Arizona the 48th state to incorporate, represents community and serves as an expression of pride for those who call Arizona home. With their trademark brand of including the outline of our amazing state, State Forty Eight partners with local nonprofits and businesses to create one of a kind shirts recognizable by any Arizonan! Shirts will be released at our 9th annual Hammers and Ales Fundraiser on November 2nd but follow us on social media @phoenixtoolbank for the announcement of our presale!

Phoenix Hammers & Ales Event Info & Ticket Packages

Richmond ToolBank

The Richmond ToolBank was able to provide picnic tables to their friends at Shalom Farms as part of their Building Change program. These tables were built with volunteers from Capital One and have made a wonderful addition to the Northside Farm. Also, Shalom Farms was able to rent tables from the ToolBank for their Open House and the group said, “Having the ToolBank as a resource really made it possible to hold the event.”

Just a friendly reminder, that the Richmond ToolBank will be hosting our ToolBank National Awards on Thursday, November 16. Please join us in-person or virtually as we recognize all of the great people and outstanding work being done across our network.

Windy City ToolBank

The Windy City ToolBank was able to raise over $1,235 to help add to their inventor for The National At-Home Dad Network and their HomeDadCon in Milwaukee. The Toolbank also secured in-kind donations of two projectors and two dropdown screens for their inventory. This funding and donations will be able to equip The National At-Home Dad Network’s event and many more events to come in the future! Organizations can buy a projector for roughly $500 or they can borrow one from the ToolBank for only $20 for an entire week!