Our Story

TOOLBANK serves community-based organizations by providing tools, equipment & expertise to empower their most ambitious goals.

Our Beginnings

The ToolBank concept was created in Atlanta in 1991 with the idea of neighbors helping neighbors by giving their time and loaning their tools to do home repairs for their neighbors in need. In 2008, ToolBank USA was launched to replicate the model and establish ToolBanks throughout the United States. The ToolBank’s signature lending model allows charities to focus on their mission by relying on ToolBanks to provide, store, and repair critically-needed tools and equipment. ToolBanks share their resources with charitable groups so they can equip volunteers to efficiently complete work in less time, with the right tools, at minimal costs. Using ToolBank tools, community-based organizations avoid the expense of purchasing, repairing, and storing tools. Each year, the ToolBank recognizes a ToolBank Affiliate who has been outstanding in furthering the mission and vision of the ToolBank.

Our Mission & Values

OUR MISSION

The mission of the ToolBank is to serve community-based organizations by providing the tools, equipment, and expertise needed to empower their most ambitious goals. Our vision is to equip all communities with tools for change.

TOOLBANK USA VALUES

We are a values-based organization that serves our affiliates, member agencies, volunteers, community partners, associates, and suppliers with open hearts and equity.

RESPECT & INCLUSION

We believe in diverse and inclusive participation in our communities and we intentionally strive to create a welcoming environment for all people, regardless of race, sex, age, gender identity, sexual orientation or creed.

INTEGRITY & TRANSPARENCY

We are committed to the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. We support transparency in our financial and operating standards and commit to accountability.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

We are committed to accessibility, professionalism, and open communication focused on those we serve. Our goal is to exceed the expectations of all member agencies, volunteers, donors, and visitors.

TOOL STEWARDSHIP

We manage ToolBank resources responsibly to maintain inventory value, promote long-term viability, and ensure responsible usage and care of the tools by the borrower.

SAFE USAGE OF TOOLBANK TOOLS

We believe in our responsibility to foster and maintain strong relationships with our member agencies that promote responsible usage and care of ToolBank tools. We acknowledge our duty to practice sound stewardship in all activities with our member agencies related to the promotion of safety and responsible usage and care of the tools.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

We have a responsibility to collaborate with our partners to best support the interests of the communities in which we serve.

Our Leadership

Jim Richmond

President
InMoment

Melissa Slone

Vice President
StrongMind

Camille Smith McMakin

Secretary
Alston & Bird

Eric Jacobs

Treasurer
Finance Director

Jabarr Bean

Director
The Home Depot

John Byrd

Director (Affiliate Board Rep)
ByrdGEO

Krish Das

Director
IT and Data Consultant

Melissa Hill Dees

Director
HandsOn Connect

Kyle Green

Director
Ford Fund

Jon Howland

Director
Stanley Black & Decker

Bill Kruger

Director
UPS

Paul Mitchell

Director
Retired IT

Kitt (Kathryn) Shipe

Director
Shipe Dosik Law LLC

Richard Porter

Director
The Home Depot

Abby Probst

Director
Grainger

Matt Walenciak

Affiliate Executive Director Representative
Atlanta ToolBank

Our Team

Patty Russart

CEO

Patty Russart joined ToolBank USA as CEO in May of 2018. Since late 2008, Patty was the Executive Director for the Atlanta Community ToolBank (ACTB). Her mantra is ‘where there is a will there is a way’ and that is how she approaches fundraising for the ToolBank. Patty successfully completed a $1.525 million Capital Campaign for the ACTB, which allowed them to purchase a much larger warehouse space and add a Tool Training Center.

Favorite Tool: Nifty Nabber

Trey Bearden

CPO

Trey joined ToolBank USA as Chief Program Officer in July of 2018. Most recently, Trey served as the founding Executive Director of the Richmond Community ToolBank. The process of building a ToolBank from the ground up taught him that action creates clarity and that the answer is always no unless you ask!

Favorite Tool: The right tool for the job

Chad Pickett

SE Territory Director (TDS)

Chad joined ToolBank USA as the Southeast Territory Director of TDS in June of 2020. Prior to joining the ToolBank USA team, he managed the tool lending program at the Atlanta ToolBank. With a background working for several non-profit home repair organizations, Chad has experienced how the lack of tools and resources can hamper a project. He loves being able to connect organizations to the tools that they need to fulfill their mission.

Favorite Tool: Hammerdo…what’s a Hammerdo? You should ask him

Kate Juergens

Executive Office & Compliance Manager

Kate joined ToolBank USA in 2016 with a background in advocacy and operations support for nonprofit organizations in Atlanta. She has experience working with immigrant and refugee families to provide services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She is fluent in Spanish and has a passion for her two rescue cats, English literature, and Argentine tango.

Favorite Tool: Power Sander

Jaime Valle

Program Manager - TDS - Puerto Rico

Jaime is a native of Mexico and moved to Puerto Rico 21 years ago. He joined the ToolBank team in 2021 as the Disaster Services Manager for our Puerto Rico location. Jaime is a highly tenured disaster response and rebuild volunteer, starting back in 1985 during the earthquake in Mexico and most recently helping with the efforts after Hurricanes Irma and Maria and earthquakes in 2019/2020 in Puerto Rico. He aided in training workers and volunteers on roof reconstruction.

Favorite Tool: Chainsaw

Bill Hess

TDS Manager & Panama City Program Manager

Bill is a US Marine Corps Veteran, having served 22 years active duty retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant. Bill joined the team in 2021 and currently serves in the role of ToolBank Disaster Services Manager. He began volunteering in Panama City after Hurricane Michael with the TDS team which eventually lead to him being brought on as a full-time team member.

Favorite Tool: Fubar…it demands authority!

Julie Italiano

Director of Marketing, Communications & Outreach

Julie joined the ToolBank USA team in 2021 as a way to continue her passion for the ToolBank network after years of involvement with the Cincinnati affiliate. She brings an extensive marketing, advertising, and graphic design background to the organization and looks forward to translating these skills from a for-profit space to the nonprofit world. She’s an avid golfer, enjoys traveling and spending time with her Yorkie, Cici.

Favorite Tool: Tape measure. Measure twice, cut once!

Our Investors

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ToolBank Awards

If you are unable to attend the ToolBank National Awards virtually or in-person, please consider a donation.

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ToolBank "Affiliate of the Year" - Golden Hammer

ToolBank USA has created the ToolBank Affiliate of the Year Award to recognize outstanding performance and/or accomplishments of an Affiliate who exemplified the mission of the ToolBank by supporting their member agencies and partners. In a coordinated effort, the Board, staff and volunteers worked together to fulfill a need in their community to provide the right tools, training, and/or conduit to get it done.

2021 Winner: Baltimore ToolBank

Wilkinson Millenary Volunteer Award

ToolBank USA has created the Wilkinson Millenary Volunteer Award (WMVA) to honor those individual Volunteers who make a substantial impact to the ToolBank Nation. The WMVA will be awarded to individuals who give 1000 Hours of Volunteer Service at an affiliate ToolBank or ToolBank USA

History: ToolBank USA has created the Wilkinson Millenary Volunteer Award(WMVA) in honor of longtime Volunteer and Supporter of the ToolBank, Erik Wilkinson. Erik started volunteering with the ToolBank when it was an all-volunteer organization, giving of his time to provide home repairs to low-income seniors in South Atlanta, keeping them warm, safe, and dry in their own homes. Today, 25 plus years later, he continues to assist ToolBank USA with several IT projects and upgrades, helping ToolBank prove its impact by putting the right tools in volunteer hands! His effect on the ToolBank success is beyond measurement but is always deeply felt.

2021 WINNER: Paul Mitchell

Rupert Barkoff Exemplary Affiliate Director Award

The Rupert Barkoff Exemplary Affiliate Director Award has been established to honor an affiliate Director who has demonstrated outstanding and dedicated leadership and service to their affiliate ToolBank.

History: Rupert M. Barkoff, age 71, passed away in June of 2019, in Atlanta, GA and at the time was serving as Pro Bono legal counsel for the ToolBank USA board. Rupert spent his entire career as an attorney with Kilpatrick Townsend (originally Kilpatrick & Cody), joining in 1973 upon moving to Atlanta following law school graduation. He was a pioneer in the field of Franchise Law, demonstrating expertise in franchisor and franchisee practices, both nationally and internationally, with frequent trips to Australia to support new business concept development. Everyone who encountered Rupert remarked about his gentleness, intelligence, and sense of humor. Rupert joined the ToolBank family in 2011 as a national ToolBank board member and used his franchise expertise to help make the ToolBank a network of affiliates.

2021 Winner: Brian Pham from the Baltimore ToolBank

Bobby Mason Award for Technology Innovation

The Bobby Mason LFNt Award for Technology Innovation honors the affiliate who most positively impacted the ToolBank network by either sharing a technological innovation or participating in the technological advancement of the network as a whole.

History: The award for technology innovation is named after Robert “Bobby” Mason, who in 2009 built the first network-wide tool tracking platform for ToolBank, known as LFNt. LFNt served as an essential inventory management tool for the network for over a decade, thanks in large part to Bobby’s oversight, architecture, and many help ticket fixes. Bobby is remembered in the ToolBank network for his outsized cowboy hat, his outsized pickup truck, and his outsized personality – but most of all for his outsized dedication to the ToolBank mission, which motivated him to donate countless hours volunteering as ToolBank’s IT support. In creating this award, we hope never to forget Bobby’s impact on the ToolBank and the many communities it serves.