ToolBank USA Mid-Year Update: New Leadership, New Milestones, and Record-Breaking Support
2025 has been a year of growth, momentum, and impact for ToolBank USA—from welcoming new leadership to expanding our capacity to serve communities nationwide.
In January, Trey Bearden stepped into the role of CEO, bringing more than 15 years of ToolBank experience, including launching multiple affiliates and expanding ToolBank Disaster Services from 2 to 8 locations. Trey’s vision is rooted in empowering communities to rebuild, recover, and thrive—whether in times of crisis or everyday service. Read more »
Just two months later, the network celebrated a major milestone: reaching its 1,000th tool type with the addition of the DEWALT TOUGHSERIES™ Construction Jack. Thanks to our long-standing partnership with Stanley Black & Decker, each affiliate and disaster location received two of these heavy-duty, hands-free lifting tools—helping turn two-person jobs into solo tasks and making our inventory stronger than ever. Read more »
Our capacity to respond in times of disaster also received a boost this summer through Generac’s “Power Up with Purpose” initiative, which raised a record $94,000 during Summerfest in Wisconsin. These funds will purchase and equip a new mobile disaster-response tool trailer, enabling ToolBank Disaster Services to deploy even more tools and staff to communities impacted by natural disasters—at no cost to those we serve. Read more »
With new leadership, a stronger tool inventory, and powerful partnerships fueling our mission, ToolBank USA is more prepared than ever to serve the servers and help communities across the country rebuild stronger and faster.
ToolBank Disaster Services Mid-Year Update: Expanding Reach, Strengthening Response
In 2025, ToolBank Disaster Services (TDS) has continued to deliver on its mission—providing the tools, expertise, and rapid response that help communities rebuild after disaster. With the ability to respond within 72 hours, TDS not only delivers professional-grade tools but also deploys team members to assess needs, coordinate with local partners, and accelerate recovery.
This year marked a major expansion with the launch of operations in Maui, supporting long-term recovery from the 2023 wildfires. Tools are now on the island, a temporary warehouse is operational, and Program Manager Kimberly Piñuelas is working alongside the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and local long-term recovery groups to restore Lahaina and surrounding communities.
Across the country, TDS regional managers have been active on multiple fronts:
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West Territory – Responding to wildfires in Los Angeles and Northern California, supporting community builds, and maintaining critical recovery equipment.
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Rocky Mountain Territory – Advancing wildfire recovery and preparedness efforts from Denver to Montana in collaboration with tribal partners.
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South Central Territory – Establishing warehouse operations in Dallas, maintaining strong hurricane readiness in New Orleans, and executing major community build projects.
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Southeast Territory – Coordinating tool deployments for storm and flood recovery across NC, TN, KY, and beyond, while expanding hurricane preparedness in Puerto Rico.
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Midwest Territory – Rapid tornado response and ongoing recovery coordination from Chicago to St. Louis.
Nationally, the Grainger Bucket Build in Jacksonville produced fully stocked emergency tool kits to strengthen our rapid deployment capabilities for the second half of the year.
From Maui to the Midwest, ToolBank Disaster Services continues to prove that when everything is lost, the right tool—and the right partner—can make all the difference.
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:
Atlanta ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Powering Volunteer Impact Across the City
This spring, the Atlanta Community ToolBank joined forces with The Home Depot Foundation to make National Volunteer Month truly unforgettable. On April 30, more than 200 volunteers rolled up their sleeves for a large-scale revitalization project at Piedmont Park and assembled garden items for veterans programming at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.
Equipped with 1,700+ tools valued at more than $50,000 from the Atlanta ToolBank, volunteers transformed public spaces with projects ranging from installing accessible pathways and repainting restrooms to building picnic tables and planters. These efforts not only enhanced two iconic Atlanta community spaces but also provided meaningful support to the city’s veteran community.
And this event is just part of a much bigger story—so far in 2025, the Atlanta ToolBank has lent 29,763 tools valued at over $1.16 million, empowering local nonprofits and volunteers to make a lasting difference across the region.
Baltimore ToolBank Update:
Baltimore Community ToolBank Hires New Executive Director: Looking Forward to the Next Generation of Serving the Servers
The Baltimore Community ToolBank has hired its next Executive Director, Elliot Weidow. After 11 years of leadership, outgoing Executive Director Noah Smock has taken a role with the national office at ToolBank USA as Director of Resource Development.
Elliot will join the ToolBank team later this month, bringing seven years of experience from the environmental non-profit world. Throughout his career, he has used ToolBank tools to plant trees across Baltimore. A passionate advocate for impactful programs and partnerships, Elliot has a strong track record of directing operations, managing multidisciplinary teams, and leading mission-driven organizations. His leadership style is collaborative, transparent, and participative with the goal of fostering trust and growth on his teams.
“Adding Elliot’s insight and experience to our local team fortifies our organization for the next generation of service to our community partners,” says outgoing director Noah Smock.
Elliot’s career is rooted in service, having completed a year with both AmeriCorps and the Chesapeake Conservation Corps, and he holds a Master’s in Biological Sciences and an ISA Arborist Certification. Most recently, as the Chief Operating Officer of the Baltimore Tree Trust, he overhauled operations to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and staff well-being, while also spearheading impactful partnerships and tree planting projects.
Now, Elliot is excited to bring his expertise to the ToolBank, an organization whose tools he has relied upon for so long and one that he deeply respects for serving the servers.
Charlotte ToolBank Update:
Charlotte ToolBank Mid-Year Update: A Decade of Leadership and a Year of Impact
The Charlotte ToolBank had two major reasons to celebrate in 2025—one marking a milestone, the other marking meaningful progress in disaster recovery.
In April, the board and team pulled off the nearly impossible: a HUGE surprise party for Executive Director Maureen in honor of her 10th anniversary leading the Charlotte ToolBank. Known for her deep involvement with volunteers, community partners, and every detail of ToolBank operations, Maureen has spent the past decade building not just programs, but strong relationships and community trust. Her leadership, heart, and vision continue to be some of the organization’s most powerful tools.
This year has also brought continued dedication to supporting recovery from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. Since the start of 2025, the Charlotte ToolBank has filled 13 orders for nearly 2,000 tools, used in projects ranging from building tiny homes for families, to equipping thousands of Appalachia Service Project summer volunteers in Avery and Cooke Counties, to supporting a community resource fair in Marion, NC. Each story of progress fuels their commitment, knowing the work is far from done but the impact is growing every day.
Cincinnati ToolBank Update:
Cincinnati ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Building, Celebrating, and Equipping Change
The Cincinnati ToolBank’s 2025 calendar has been full of events that brought people together to build, celebrate, and make a difference in their neighborhoods.
In May, they partnered with the Dan Beard Council Boy Scouts to build camping shelters at Camp Friedlander, equipping volunteers, scouts, and staff for a hands-on day of service that prepared the next generation of leaders. Just a few weeks later, their annual Par-Tee for the ToolBank mixed fundraising with friendly competition, as golfers, sponsors, and volunteers came together to support ToolBank programs.
June also marked the ribbon cutting for the Bond Hill Mini-ToolBank, a pilot location designed for hyper-local impact by bringing tools directly into the neighborhood. The summer momentum continued in July with Community Makeover Day—their largest tool deployment of the year—transforming Walnut Hills alongside the Cincinnati Reds, P&G, the Cincinnati Zoo, United Way, and other partners.
From celebrating community spirit at Let’s Taco ’Bout Tools with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and Invest in Neighborhoods, to honoring neighborhood champions at Night of the Neighborhoods, the Cincinnati ToolBank continues to prove that with the right tools and partnerships, the possibilities for impact are endless.
Houston ToolBank Update:
Houston ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Building a More Prepared Community
The Houston ToolBank has been hard at work in 2025, equipping nonprofits with more than just tools—they’re sharing the knowledge and skills that help them respond when disaster strikes.
In partnership with Frost Bank, Gulf Coast Disaster Readiness, and SBP, they hosted three disaster preparedness trainings across the greater Houston area. These sessions brought together 55 nonprofit staff members and volunteers from organizations dedicated to helping the community recover faster after disasters.
The trainings covered critical topics like homeowner preparedness, muck & gutting, compassionate care, and roof tarping—practical skills that ensure nonprofit partners are ready to mobilize quickly and effectively. By focusing on both the technical and human sides of disaster response, they’re helping build a stronger safety net for Houston-area residents when they need it most.
ToolBank USA is grateful to their partners for making these trainings possible and to every participant who invested their time in learning how to better serve the community. Together, they’re not just preparing for the next disaster—they’re preparing to meet it with compassion, efficiency, and resilience. Unfortunately, these trainings proved to be incredibly useful after the devastating flooding that impacted Central Texas in early July
Magic City ToolBank Update:
Magic City ToolBank 2024 Impact: Tools, Volunteers, and Community Transformation
The Magic City ToolBank wrapped up 2024 with powerful results, equipping community organizations across Birmingham with the tools they needed to create lasting change. Over the year, they served 37 member agencies, supporting 1,548 projects and equipping countless volunteers to make a difference in neighborhoods citywide.
The value of borrowed tools in 2024 totaled more than $104,900, helping member agencies save critical resources while expanding their capacity to serve. In total, these projects directly impacted 89,265 people, touching lives through efforts ranging from landscaping, beautification, and urban agriculture to repairs, renovations, environmental conservation, and special events.
Member agencies such as Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, The Mission Continues – Magic City, and dozens more relied on the ToolBank’s inventory to strengthen their programs and deepen their impact. By putting the right tools in the right hands, the Magic City ToolBank continues to prove that with our tools and your volunteers, we can build stronger communities together.
New Orleans ToolBank Update:
New Orleans ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Building Community, Honoring Legacies, and Expanding Impact
2025 has been a year of collaboration, service, and resilience for the New Orleans ToolBank—with projects that honor the past, strengthen the present, and invest in the future.
In January, the ToolBank joined Home Depot and the BuildStrong Academy for a Building Change event in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., where associates and carpentry apprentices crafted outdoor furniture for local communities. On the same day, TEKSystems volunteers tackled key warehouse projects at the ToolBank, improving the infrastructure that supports countless community initiatives.
The year also brought high-profile service events, including the NFL-sanctioned Kickoff to Rebuild in St. Roch with Rebuilding Together New Orleans and Lowe’s, where volunteers built picnic tables and benches for a neighborhood park, and a Gentilly park revitalization with the Home Depot Foundation that added Adirondack chairs and benches to a beloved community space.
The ToolBank also helped empower 16 girls from Daughters Beyond Incarceration as they picked up tools for the first time to build outdoor furniture for their campus, and provided every tool needed for a major playground build at Milne Playground with NORD and Kaboom.
Beyond planned events, the ToolBank stood ready for emergency response—supplying shovels for sandbagging during heavy rainfall to assist the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. They also launched a new partnership with SPROUT to support urban agriculture growers, and equipped thousands of volunteers serving with local organizations during the LCMS Youth Gathering.
From neighborhood parks to citywide preparedness, the New Orleans ToolBank continues to be a vital partner in building, protecting, and enriching the community.
Phoenix ToolBank Update:
Phoenix ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Expanding Reach and Serving in the Summer Heat
Big things are happening at the Phoenix ToolBank in 2025! This spring, they launched as an official U-Haul rental location, giving members convenient on-site access to four trucks of various sizes for picking up ToolBank orders.
They also announced an exciting new partnership with the City of Phoenix, set to launch this fall, where they will manage and operate the city’s current tool lending program. This expansion will extend their reach to over 700 Neighborhood Associations and Block Watch Groups and give them a second warehouse location—significantly increasing their capacity to serve.
In the meantime, they are in the heat of their Heat Re-Leaf Program, providing air conditioning units at no cost to members to support the community’s most vulnerable residents. They’ve also distributed more than 8,000 heat, first aid, and snack kits, along with several pallets of hats and water, helping organizations keep their teams and clients safe during Arizona’s extreme summer temperatures.
Richmond ToolBank:
Richmond ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Growth, Learning, and Community Impact
The Richmond ToolBank has had a busy and impactful 2025 so far—expanding programs, strengthening partnerships, and celebrating milestones that will benefit the community for years to come.
Thanks to Building Change, 49 new pieces of outdoor furniture are now ready for Henrico County Public Schools as part of the ToolBank’s Outdoor Classroom campaign. Schools like Baker ES, Shady Grove ES, Ward ES, Pocahontas MS, and Highland Springs HS will soon be enjoying 34 project tables with detached benches and 15 four-foot benches, creating innovative outdoor learning spaces with the help of dedicated corporate volunteers.
This summer also brought four outstanding interns from VCU and UVA, each tackling projects that enhanced programs like Tools for Change, tool inventory management, social media outreach, and the ToolBOX program. Their energy and contributions have been invaluable in moving long-awaited projects forward.
The Southside Tool Lending Hub is one step closer to reality after meeting a $50,000 challenge grant from the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation—matched and exceeded with over $100,000 raised, thanks to generous donors like Altria Group Inc., Markel, Conserve the Future Fund, the Richmond Rotary Club, and BMSS, LLC Legacy Fund. This funding will bring retrofitted Smartboxes to Broad Rock Park by the end of the summer, helping member agencies save time and money.
Finally, the ToolBank is celebrating Morgan Day’s transition to a full-time role as ToolBOX Program Coordinator. Since January 2024, she has led 62 workshops for 466 participants, providing 150 hours of hands-on training in skills like drywall, tiling, electrical work, power tools, and home maintenance—growth made possible by a $100,000 grant from Richmond Impact 100.
Windy City ToolBank:
Windy City ToolBank Mid-Year Update: Leadership, Growth, and Community Impact
2025 has been a year of exciting milestones for the Windy City ToolBank, marked by new leadership, major events, and record growth.
This spring, the ToolBank welcomed Jess Pohto as Executive Director and Midwest Territory Manager for ToolBank Disaster Services. With more than 15 years of ToolBank experience and a proven commitment to community service, Jess is already driving impact both locally and across the region.
In one of the year’s standout moments, the ToolBank hosted a Pat Tillman Foundation build day, bringing together more than 150 volunteers to construct picnic tables and park benches for Chicago neighborhoods—some of which were placed in Pullman National Historical Park. The organization has also seen remarkable volunteer growth, gaining a dedicated base of recurring volunteers who are boosting capacity and community reach.
Behind the scenes, the Board of Directors has expanded with new, engaged members committed to strengthening partnerships and advancing the mission. On the ground, the ToolBank is experiencing record lending volume and has welcomed a record number of new member agencies, ensuring more organizations than ever have access to the tools they need to serve their communities.
