VALDOSTA – After months of uncertainty and transition, Habitat for Humanity of Valdosta-Lowndes County is ready to make some moves.

At a community event held at the site of the organization’s future ReStore on East Hill Avenue on Tuesday, Executive Director Justin Geers and his team unveiled their plans moving forward. The team discussed the relaunch of key programs, relocating the ReStore, and returning staff to a permanent office, all while emphasizing a renewed commitment to long-term community transformation.

The gathering brought together supporters, local officials, volunteers, and business partners to hear directly from Habitat leadership and see the physical space that will soon become the nonprofit’s new ReStore location.

For the past few months, the organization has been recovering from a series of major setbacks, including hurricane damage that displaced staff and the passing of its former executive director, Michael Bourgoin. For a time, operations had slowed to a crawl. The ReStore site sat dormant, and the staff worked remotely or out of a small breakroom. But that is getting ready to change.

“If you reflect back on any of the organization’s employees’ personal testimonies, they would have said, 90 days ago, that this was not a possibility,” Geers said in an interview following the event. “All it needed was a spark. And then somebody to say, ‘Let’s go do it.’ And that’s what we did.”

Now, the organization is riding a wave of renewed energy and support. The East Hill Avenue ReStore, which sits along a high-traffic corridor with over 7,000 cars daily, is expected to open in September. Habitat is also preparing to return to its renovated Cypress Street office by July, a move that will allow the team to collaborate under one roof again.

A highlight of Tuesday’s event was a visual walkthrough of the new ReStore layout. Attendees were shown renderings of the proposed floor plan, defined departments, a checkout area, and dedicated zones for furniture and appliances. The ReStore will feature upgraded equipment, break rooms, donation drop-off areas, and warehouse storage.

Construction lead Chris Lamontagne detailed the cleanup efforts with confidence in their timeline. While significant progress has been made, the team noted that several operational needs remain, including $25,000 worth of items like shopping carts, price guns, and paved access for delivery trucks. Geers encouraged attendees to help by donating goods, services, or sharing contacts who might assist.

“We are not in any way, shape, or form going to take a dollar and spend it without doing an absolute reconstruction of how we do business,” Geers said. “Everything we buy has to have a purpose.”

While the ReStore will serve as a revenue stream and public touchpoint, Geers stated that Habitat’s mission remains rooted in housing and home repair for underserved families. Family Services Director Theresa Clark presented an overview of current and upcoming initiatives, including: Home Construction, the organization’s Critical Repair Program, and the Aging in Place and Veterans Initiatives.

“These are hardworking families. These are families who have only known how to rent,” said Clark. “We want to build communities that will provide homeownership, generational wealth, and security for families.”

Habitat is also working with the City of Valdosta on disaster preparedness measures, especially as another hurricane season begins. The organization is adjusting build timelines and construction methods to align with weather risk and will coordinate with the city to support both response and recovery efforts.

A critical need emerged near the end of the event, as Geers pointed out that the limited land inventory is hindering the organization’s ability to start new home construction.

“We don’t have land. We can’t build houses without property,” he said, urging the community to consider potential sites that could become part of Habitat’s mission.

Though much of the event focused on infrastructure and programming, Geers reminded attendees that the heart of Habitat’s work lies in its human connections. 

“This is a family, and we welcome everybody in the community into our family,” Geers said. “We want them to be a part of this ‘cause it’s exciting, and we are moving forward in a very quick manner.”

Those interested in helping the organization in any way can visit the Habitat for Humanity Valdosta Facebook page or call (229) 245-1330 to learn about volunteer opportunities, donations, and partnerships.