Home Resource program director Michael Saard outlined the nonprofit's reuse and education efforts at a public presentation in Missoula, saying the organization's reuse store "divert[s] well over a million pounds worth of material every year" from the landfill.

The meeting focused on three connected activities: a revamp program that tests and repurposes donated items for resale, workshops and classes (notably woodworking), and an open woodshop schedule with tool training. "Revamp's a way that we, rework materials and products that we get and and resell them," Jay Reilly, Home Resource's workshop coordinator, said, describing repairs, testing of faucets and fans, and craft projects including "smart canvases" made from hollow-core doors (one example Reilly cited retails for $25).

Reilly explained the organization's approach to Fix It Clinics: volunteer coaches pair with participants to teach repair skills rather than simply fixing items for people. "The coach will walk the participant through how to repair an item," Reilly said, and he urged people with repair skills'from sewing to woodworking'to volunteer as coaches for clinics scheduled to resume in December. Bill, a longtime Fix It coach mentioned in the presentation, was cited as an example of the volunteer base.

Workshops and instructional clinics cover a variety of trades and crafts, Reilly said, ranging from sign painting and tile installation to interior-design-focused sessions that show how to reuse store items in home projects. The Lifelong Learning Center handles advertising and registration for many classes, allowing Home Resource staff to concentrate on planning and instruction. Reilly said they recently hired an assistant workshop lead, Taylor, and that some regular participants have gone on to volunteer supporting open-shop times and future classes.

Home Resource offers an open woodshop period with free tool trainings and a sign-up option for individual project time. Reilly described Friday sessions that include free trainings on key machines (miter saw, table saw, planer, jointer) and a separate three-hour paid sign-up for hands-on project work. He said scholarships and sliding-scale fees are available and that registration is handled through the education section of Home Resource's website.

During a short tour of the revamp and woodshop spaces, staff demonstrated product testing and materials handling. Paul, identified as the revamp lead, was shown testing faucets and fans at a work station; Reilly described a process for unusable paint (mixing with sawdust) and said clean, untreated lumber is stored for future projects or routed to Missoula Compost when appropriate. Reilly said materials destined for compost or community salvage must be free of paint, clear coats and pressure treatment.

Safety and training were emphasized. Reilly explained the jointer'planer'table-saw sequence used to mill reclaimed lumber and described precautions such as liability forms, marked safety zones on the shop floor and a saw-stop table saw. When an attendee asked about learners'fear of power tools, Reilly said many people become comfortable after operating a machine or that staff will make certain cuts for participants who are not ready. He also acknowledged that injuries have occurred historically and reiterated the importance of training and supervised use.

Presenters invited community organizations and schools to arrange tailored workshops and field trips; Reilly cited past collaborations with homeschool groups, libraries and a recent class for Opportunity Resources. Throughout, organizers encouraged questions and sign-ups for upcoming clinics and classes.