Stores’ good works building goodwill

Saturday, April 1, 2000 | 9:34 a.m.

Home Depot doesn't offer just lumber, paint and home fixtures. It also offers hope -- hope to local charities that cannot afford those items.

The 20-year-old company has spent tens of thousands of dollars locally in the last year to help remodel such places as Safe Nest, the shelter for victims of domestic violence, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.

The nationwide hardware chain with six Las Vegas stores -- the latest opened Thursday at Charleston Boulevard and Hualapai Way -- also is helping raise funds to build a new Nevada Children's Center campus.

"With so many in need it is an extremely difficult task deciding which ones we can help," Home Depot District Manager Matt Young said. "We rely on our managers and associates to identify agencies in need so we can help them."

Home Depot last year spent $15 million nationwide on projects that dealt with affordable housing, at-risk youths and environmental issues.

"Sometimes, it's just a matter of giving cash like to the Nevada Children's Center," Young said. "Other times it is a combination of a cash donation and work by our volunteers to fix up the places.

"We live in this community and we want to help make it a better place."

Rosann Sirody, a Safe Next board member, said Home Depot's efforts to fix up the 22-year-old agency's shelter was a godsend. "We really needed shelving, storage and closets, and they came out and did a great job building them for us," Sirody said.

Debbie Smith of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas said Home Depot donated all of the cabinets, counter tops, flooring and other equipment to remodel the North Las Vegas site's 30-year-old kitchen.

"Home Depot took it a step further and found a company to donate the material and labor to replace the sidewalk entrance," Smith said.

Nichole Alberti of the Nevada Children's Center called Young "a leader and a visionary."

Since 1996 Home Depot has donated to Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas Inc. roof vents, vinyl flooring, tools and other fixtures.

"We literally could not accomplish our mission (to build homes for the working poor) without Home Depot's assistance," Habitat Executive Director Jim Evans said.

The local Home Depots also provided funds for the Estes McDoniel Elementary School's marine and science lab.