Christianity Today: The Benevolent Big Box (Perry Bigelow in this story was a classmate of mine in the economic development program at Eastern University.)
A charter school in North Lawndale, Chicago, serves 300 underprivileged students from fifth to eighth grade, many of whom are unable to provide their own school supplies. So the school turns to a unique ministry. The Storehouse, run by World Vision, is a big-box retailer for those who can't afford big-box prices.
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In the early '90s, Perry Bigelow, a major Chicago-area homebuilder, and a handful of other businessmen wanted to provide building supplies to local churches and ministries. "They realized that pastors were responsible for the social development in the city," says Michael Mantel, senior director of World Vision Chicago. "If you help a church rehabilitate its facility, then you can help the church rehabilitate its community." Inspired by a ministry that builds homes for pastors, the group of homebuilders determined to "build something that will keep building."
In 1995, the Storehouse opened as a home-improvement outlet for churches, ministries, and needy individuals. But putting up walls turned out to be easier than starting a ministry. ….
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Today, the Chicago Storehouse has the friendly cashiers, high ceiling, and lengthy aisles of any Home Depot or Lowe's. Unlike the average home-improvement store, though, Storehouse lines its aisles with colorful World Vision posters, reminding visitors of needy children around the world.
The Storehouse connects companies, business leaders, and suburban churches to inner-city charities and churches. World Vision provides the logistics to stock each storehouse with volunteers, staff, and building materials. Customers come to the Storehouse through member churches and charities. Through member fees or direct purchase, they buy sinks, lumber, paint, and other building materials at a 15 to 20 percent discount.
From Los Angeles, California, to Appalachia, West Virginia, people near Storehouse's 11 current locations across the United States now have access to first-rate home-building products and school resources. In 2006 alone, Storehouse served more than 1.6 million people.
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Just six years after its founding, Storehouse moved into the black financially. It now has more than 300 corporations contributing $6 million worth of building and other materials annually, and 2,500 volunteers, in addition to the help supplied by churches and ministries.
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The Storehouse's expansion over the years is due, in large part, to the business partners who helped launch the ministry in the first place—a group called the "Wise Guys."
Nicknamed for their business acumen and desire to serve the poor, the Wise Guys helped develop Storehouse's self-sustaining model. For Dave Jackson, the group has become a means of using his gifts for Christ. "There's a certain dignity that comes from buying new things," he says.
As Pastor Ramon Castro says, "We want people to know that they're impacting people's lives. … I know for my church, for my ministry, it's been a real blessing."
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