After thousands of dollars worth of tools and other equipment were stolen from an Evergreen Habitat for Humanity construction site this month, the community stepped in to help recoup the loss.
Workers with the nonprofit showed up to their construction site at Mountain View High School on July 11 to find someone had broken into a Habitat trailer, apparently climbing through a small vent in the roof, and left with a slew of equipment, including saws, power tools and screw guns.
The situation brought work to a halt for the organization, which builds homes for low-income families throughout Clark County. After a little help putting the houses together, Habitat sells them to people in need at no profit with a zero percent interest rate mortgage.
But in the days following the incident, things quickly began to turn around for the group, as area residents pitched in to help.
“We have been able to see first hand the incredible support and generosity of our community due to this unfortunate theft,” the organization said in a press release Friday. “Within days of the theft, community members and organizations stepped in to donate tools, money, and time to help get Habitat back to building.”
The group gave a special thanks to Lowe’s Home Improvement in Delta Park, Coldwell Banker — Seal Group of Vancouver, At Grade Construction, Columbia Bank and Vancouver Bolt & Supply.
The organization’s work at the east Vancouver school is part of geometry program that teaches students math lessons while giving them a chance to put their skills to work building a house. Of course, losing the tools inside also held up work at other Habitat for Humanity sites around the county.
Since the incident, Evergreen Public Schools has been reviewing surveillance footage of the area near the trailer in hopes of identifying anyone involved in the theft.
