News

Scrapbox Salvage Co., a reuse building materials store, has announced its grand opening on March 1, 2022. Located in Minneapolis, the store is committed to offering a zero-waste solution for the Twin Cities’ deconstruction projects while giving people a chance to repurpose building materials in their construction or remodeling projects. To kick off its opening, Scrapbox Salvage Co. will welcome guests into the store for its official grand opening week from March 1-7 and host a customer appreciation week March 8-14.

Scrapbox Salvage Co. partners with the Birch Group, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit development and deconstruction salvage company. The Birch Group team reclaims and harvests everything from lights, flooring, windows, doors and more in their deconstruction projects around the Twin Cities and then offers them for sale at Scrapbox Salvage Co. The Birch Group joined as a Reuse Minnesota member in January 2022.

Scrapbox Salvage Co. has drop-off and pick-up services for those interested in donating items in addition to its deconstruction services offered through the Birch Group.

The City of Columbia Heights, MN is seeking citywide residential refuse service bids for four major curbside operations: household trash, single-sort recycling, compost (yard waste & organics), and bulk (or junk) removal services. There is also a RFP for cart handling (household delivery/removals) services. Respondents can bid on one or all of the services. Please email Publicworks@columbiaheightsmn.gov for more information. RFPs will be accepted through April.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is accepting applications from organizations interested in hosting a Minnesota GreenCorps member for the 2022-2023 program year. Members serve at organizations throughout the state, completing community-focused environmental projects while gaining experience and learning valuable job skills.

The MPCA plans to place up to 46 full-time members with host site organizations. Host sites provide day-to-day supervision and support members on community-focused projects in one of the following four focus areas: air pollutant reduction, community readiness and outreach, green infrastructure improvements and forestry, or waste reduction, recycling, and organics management.

Applications are due by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. For more information and to apply, visit www.pca.state.mn.us/mngreencorps. Please direct questions to mngreencorps.pca@state.mn.us.

We are excited to announce the launch of our newly designed website!

Our website features easy to find information, making it simpler to navigate to answers to all your reuse questions. Reuse Minnesota members can collaborate and connect with other members through a professional forum, and share ideas and network. Our reuse library has tools and guides to help you wherever you are on your reuse path. We invite you to explore all our website has to offer!

We recently made a slight change to our logo. By changing the capitalization in our name, our logo has a more streamlined appearance, and helps minimize the confusion with other similarly sounding reuse organizations. ReUSE Minnesota will now be referred to as Reuse Minnesota, while our logo will have an all capitals look.

Reuse Minnesota is in the news! Minnesota Monthly wrote an article highlighting several reuse businesses  and interviewed Reuse Minnesota executive director Emily Barker. Read the article here!

Looking for a way to support reuse, repair, and rental in Minnesota, but aren’t able to commit long-term? Join ReUSE Minnesota's hiring committee for a couple months and help us build our team!

ReUSE Minnesota is looking for volunteers to join our hiring committee and help us find our new Executive Director. We’re seeking community members with diverse perspectives to review application materials, participate on the interview panel, and share their priorities and opinions for filling this role.

Consider participating if you:

• own or manage a local business (reuse/rental/repair business is a bonus, but not required),
• have experience in nonprofit management, and/or
• are committed to reuse and protecting the environment and natural resources through more sustainable consumption.  

ReUSE Minnesota is looking for 1-3 people for a commitment of 2-5 hours per week through June 30. 

Contact Jenny Kedward, ReUSE Minnesota’s Board President, by May 3 if interested at president@reusemn.org or 612-986-3454.

Interested in serving on the ReUSE Minnesota Board of Directors?

If you are interested in being a part of the ReUSE Minnesota Board of Directors, email a short bio and answers to the following questions to info@reusemn.org (Subject line: Nomination) no later than Friday, November 8, 2019.

1.       Why do you want to serve on the ReUSE MN Board of Directors?

2.       What skills will you bring to the ReUSE MN Board of Directors (volunteer coordination, recruitment, budgeting, grant writing, public speaking, strategic planning, etc.)?

3.       What is your relevant experience with reuse and sustainability (prior board service, business ownership, working with non-profits, etc.)?

The Board of Directors is charged with control of management of the affairs, business, and properties of ReUSE Minnesota. The Board of Directors has fiduciary and strategic responsibility for the organization. All those serving on the Board of Directors must be dues-paying Members in good standing. Board Members serve a 2-year term.

ReUSE Minnesota Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is made up of 4 officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary as well as Board Members at Large.

President: The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of ReUSE Minnesota and shall preside as Chairman at all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Members. The President shall see that the rules of order and decorum are properly enforced in all deliberations of ReUSE MN and shall sign the approved minutes of each meeting. The President shall have general superintendence and direction of all of the other Officers of ReUSE Minnesota and shall see that their duties are properly performed.

Vice President: The Vice President shall preside as Chairman at all meetings of the Board of Directors in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall perform such other duties as the Board of Directors may direct.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall supervise all dues collections and the accounts of ReUSE Minnesota; shall ensure that full and accurate accounting records are maintained at all times; and shall present such reports, including an annual report of ReUSE MN’s financial condition, as the Board of Directors may direct. The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors or the President.

Secretary: The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors and of the Members; shall attend all sessions of the Board of Directors; shall report unfinished business requiring action from prior meetings; shall supervise correspondence of ReUSE MN; and shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board of Directors.

Management HQ, ReUSE Minnesota’s association management company, works closely with and supports all Board of Directors Officers and Members at Large in their work and the overarching initiatives of ReUSE Minnesota.

Directors are expected to be actively involved in 1-2 committees: Finance and Fundraising, Membership, or Education and Communication.

Finance and Fundraising Committee: Oversees the budget and all financial matters of ReUSE MN.

Membership Committee: Develops member retention and recruitment strategies and plans quarterly Member Meetings, the Annual Meeting, and occasional events to highlight ReUSE Minnesota businesses.

Education and Communication Committee: Organizes ReUSE MN presence at workshops, fairs, and other events. Seeks opportunities for ReUSE MN to reach businesses and potential members and guides annual communications plan.

If you have any questions about ReUSE Minnesota, or the Board of Directors election process, please email info@reusemn.org or call (612) 352-9119.

Please note: We have updated our proposal due date to August 8, 2019.  It was originally August 1, 2019.

ReUSE Minnesota is seeking an accomplished individual or firm to provide and execute a methodology and tools for collecting data to measure the environmental, economic and social impacts of reuse, rental, and repair activities statewide. The tool(s) will be used to document the benefits of the products and services provided by ReUSE Minnesota’s member businesses and organizations statewide.  Funding for this project is from the State of Minnesota’s Environmental Trust Fund. 

View the Attached RFP for more information.

View Vendor Q&A webinar recording here.

Also attached - Q&A Addendum, not included in webinar recording.

Are you a reuse enthusiast? Are you interested in joining a community? Are you looking for a way to support local businesses and organizations? Are you excited to volunteer and share or develop a skillset?

If you said “yes!” to any of these scenarios, then you’re a great fit for ReUSE Minnesota Ambassadors!

ReUSE Minnesota Ambassadors are our organization’s fantastic volunteers that support ReUSE Minnesota’s mission through a wide range of opportunities. Depending on your interests, experience, and availability you can:

After your initial training, there isn’t a requirement for how many events you need to attend or the amount of time you need to commit, so your involvement can flex based on your availability.

Our big upcoming event is a booth at the Minnesota State Fair Eco Experience this summer – the Repair & Reuse Room. 

Submit an application today and we’ll be in touch!