Fall Cleaning with a Conscience: Find a Home for Your Gently Used Items

This bit of extended warm weather has helped put many of us in the mood for fall cleaning. And since we tend to accumulate possessions over the holidays, fall is a great time to clear out some of the items we don’t want and make room for something new.

But what should you do with all the stuff you don’t want?

At Monarch, we are committed to being responsible stewards of the environment and encourage our clients and fellow members of the community to think twice before simply tossing personal or household items away. After all, your trash may indeed be someone else’s treasure.

Smaller items like books, clothing and textiles can easily be dropped off at your local Salvation Army, Goodwill or Value Village. If you have outdated electronics piling up in your home, visit recycleyourelectronics.ca to locate the dropoff location nearest you. In Pickering, you can drop off your used electronics for free at U-Pak.

For larger items, consider one the following options:

Habitat for Humanity ReStores

If you’ve never visited your local ReStore, prepare to be amazed! ReStores are retail facilities that sell new and gently used building supplies and household decorating items. Donations generate revenue that covers 100% of their administrative costs. That means 100% of the donations they receive go directly into their Build Fund -- providing safe, decent and affordable homes for low-income families in your community.

Furniture Bank

Furniture Bank offers full-service furniture removal across the GTA. They pick up gently used furniture and housewares from your home and transfer them to individuals who have recently transitioned out of homelessness and displacement. Your donations help turn an empty space into a true home. Click here for a list of items they accept.

Thanks for Helping Monarch Feed the Need in Durham Region

Thanks to the generosity and thoughtfulness of our clients and design team, Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre was able to drop off an abundance of food to Feed the Need in Durham last month.

Feed the Need in Durham is a non-profit charitable organization that delivers food to food banks, soup kitchens, community service centres, shelters, drop-in centres and breakfast feed programs. It plays a significant role in feeding the members of our community.

A Community of Giving

Our thanks to everyone who took the time to drop off food at our showroom. We'd like to extend our special thanks to James, Assistant Manager at Sobeys Pickering (1899 Brock Road ) for discounting food for us to purchase for the food drive.

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Cleans Up the Community

 

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre takes part in the 10th Annual 20-Minute Pickering Makeover.

As kitchen and bath designers, the Monarch design team is accustomed to orchestrating dramatic, often life-changing, makeovers for their clients.

Last Friday, Monarch staff took to the streets of Pickering for the 10th Annual 20-Minute Pickering Makeover.

Since 2005, Pickering has joined forces with neighbouring municipalities for the GTA-wide 20-Minute Makeover, an opportunity to pick up litter around City streets, parks, schools and workplaces in our community.

From businesses and schools to community groups and neighbourhood associations, over 70,000 participants have taken part in this annual event since its inception. The Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre team is proud to have played their part in this important community initiative.

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Staff Proudly Support Kevin & Wendy Samson and the 2013 Gutsy Walk

On Sunday, June 9th, thousands of Canadians at close to 60 locations across Canada walked together to raise money to find a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis).

CCFC-funded IBD research has confirmed what we have suspected for years – Canada has one of the highest rates for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world and those rates are increasing. In fact, one in 150 Canadians is living with IBD. The Gutsy Walk is a great way to spread awareness of IBD and raise much-needed funds to support essential research. ~ GutsyWalk.ca

Among those participating were Monarch designer Kevin Samson and his wife Wendy. "Many thanks to my co-workers who, as a group, raised $700," says Kevin. The annual event is sponsored by the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada. "Wendy and I raised $2,580 and our group, Team Sinai, raised over $75,000."

Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre is proud to donate to this worthy cause. For more information on how you can donate or volunteer your time, visit www.gutsywalk.ca.

Congratulations to Canada's Women's Soccer Team -- 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalists

As we celebrate Team Canada's 1-0 win over France in women's soccer this morning, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce you to the Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre Under 9 Rep soccer team. Members of the Pickering Soccer Club, the girls are shown here sporting medals after a tournament last month in Milton, Ontario.

Congratulations to our new (and future) Olympians!

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre's Under 9 Rep Soccer Team, shown after a tournament in Milton, Ontario.

Help Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre Feed the Need in Durham

Monarch Kitchen & Bath Centre is getting into the holiday spirit this year with a food drive aimed at helping families in need throughout Durham Region.  

Please help us to gather nonperishable food items for donation to Feed the Need in Durham, a non-profit, charitable organization that serves as a conduit to its 40+ member agencies located in neighbourhoods across the Region. Feed the Need in Durham delivers food to emergency food providers such as food banks, soup kitchens, community service centres, shelters, drop-in centres and breakfast feed programs.

This holiday season, support the families in your community by dropping off these much-needed nonperishable food items at Monarch's Pickering showroom by December 22:

• Kraft Dinner
• pasta sauce
• canned vegetables
• pork and beans
• cranberry sauce
• canned ravioli
• canned tuna and salmon
• mayonnaise,  relish, ketchup, mustard
• small juice boxes
• stuffing and gravy mix

Our Pickering showroom is located at 1020 Brock Rd., Unit 6. For more information, call our office at 905-686-2001.

The Back to School Backpack Program: Helping Durham Region Families Send Their Children Back to School Prepared

For many parents in Durham Region, the struggle to feed, clothe and house their families is ongoing. And when September rolls around, there is often no room in the budget for new clothes, let alone backpacks and school supplies. 

At this time every year, a group of dedicated volunteers solicits the help of the school board and various businesses throughout the Region to ensure these families are not forgotten and children in need of assistance return to school with a new backpack filled with school supplies.

Angie Baglieri has been involved with the Back to School Backpack program for five years and is saddened to see how the need continue to grow each year. "I've heard stories of parents trying to keep a roof over their heads. Every month, they have to choose between buying food or paying the hydro bill; buying a backpack and school supplies or paying the gas bill. This program is necessary and it helps."

Monarch Kitchen and Bath Centre is proud to support the Back to School Backpack program again this year and encourages other local businesses to do the same.

"The school board has partnered with us to identify the supplies necessary and approximated the quantities of filled backpacks required," explains Angie. "With 100% of donations directly allocated to the program, your donation will ensure that children in our community have the tools they need for a successful school year."

The Back to School Backpack program has obtained the services of a local supplier who will provide age-appropriate, filled (pencils, pens, crayons etc) backpacks for $13+tax per bag. For Ajax, Pickering, Clarington, Oshawa, Scugog, Whitby and Uxbridge, the combined total required has been determined to be approximately 2,000 units.

To ensure all students begin the school year prepared, volunteers will begin delivering the backpacks to schools during the week of August 29th.

"Our fundraising goal again this year is $20,000," says Angie. "This amount may need to go up...I've seen it in the past."

Businesses wishing to donate to the Back to School Backpack program are asked to call Angie Baglieri at 905-721-8878 or email angiebaglieri@yahoo.ca. All donations are issued a receipt from the United Way.