Scraps KC: A great new way to say (the second) R

While recycling has gotten by far the most attention in American society (because it requires the least of us), the first two of the three Rs – Reduce and Reuse – have far more potential to really change the way we relate to the rest of the living world.

Lucky for us, Kansas City’s West Bottoms is now blessed with a great new Reuse resource, Scraps KC. According to their site, Scraps KC is “a non-profit, creative reuse store focusing on creativity, education, sustainability and service to others.”

Founded by Brenda Mott and her family, who have been feeding and serving people who are homeless for years, Scraps KC now offers them opportunities to do volunteer work with the possibility of becoming employees over time. The short version (go here for the longer version in their own words) of how Scraps KC works is that businesses, other organizations, and individuals donate reusable items, which are then resold to fund the operation and provide services to people who are homeless.

What kinds of materials do they typically have? Their site lists “vinyl, outdoor fabrics, yarn, metals, woods, carpet squares, paper, plastics, egg cartons, and tubes to name a few,” and they are always looking for new and different materials. If you have something you would like to donate that you think they might be able to use, go here to find out. 

If you’re a teacher, artist, craftsperson, DIYer, or any other kind of reuse maven, Scraps KC could be a real treasure trove for you. Their address is 1324 W. 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64101  and they’re open 12-5 pm Tuesday-Friday and 10 am-5 pm Saturdays.

Like BTG, Scraps KC also depends on volunteers to get more done than they could with their staff alone. You can go here if you’d like to get involved.