We all have our own reason for giving back, and our own path to getting involved to make our community a better place. For Stevens Omni President John Cerisano, this journey started when he saw former U.S. President Jimmy Carter working with Habitat for Humanity.
“That must [have been] 40 years ago,” John recalled. “I thought, ‘Wow, what a great cause.’”
Stevens Omni is a Canadian family-owned and operated business. For over 30 years, they have been a lead distributor in Canada, with a team of experts coast to coast selling high quality flooring, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl, cork, carpet tile and more. Their head office and warehouse located in Mississauga, houses Canada’s largest machine-made area rug program.
Stevens Omni works with a variety of customers, including professional flooring stores, architects, designers, builders, developers and exhibit companies. As a distribution company, donating overstock to Habitat ReStores was a natural fit. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are home and building supply stores that accept and resell quality new and used building materials, as well as furniture, appliances and home accessories to the public. Stevens Omni has a history of donating product to Habitat, and recently donated 35 skids of flooring to Habitat HM ReStores.
“When we had an opportunity, as a business owner, to supply material for the building trade that would help Habitat, we always thought that that was a good charity to support,” John said. He’s found that certain products are even more likely to sell in a ReStore. Thanks to Stevens Omni, ReStore customers are able to purchase high-quality flooring at a reasonable price.
In addition to being inspired by Jimmy Carter’s involvement with Habitat, John said his motivation to donate is driven with the desire to help the families and individuals that receive support through affordable homeownership. Habitat for Humanity knows that safe, decent and affordable homeownership plays an absolutely critical role in helping families to create a new cycle, one filled with possibilities and progress. Affordable homeownership frees families and fosters the skills and confidence they need to invest in themselves and their communities. The outcomes can be long-lasting and life-changing.
When sold, the products that Stevens Omni donated to a Habitat ReStore will generate funds that will make a direct impact on Habitat’s home building projects in local communities.
John says he is looking ahead to a long partnership with Habitat. “It’s really important to give back to the community,” he said. “We’re glad to be a donor.”
Here at Habitat, we’re happy to work with a company that looks to us as a solution for overstock product making an environmentally conscious decision to donate materials that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Ultimately, more products in our ReStores means we can raise more to build more homes for local families. This is a mission that Habitat is proud to embark on with partners such as Stevens Omni, and we look forward to a continued partnership.
To learn more about Stevens Omni, follow this link to their website. For more information about Habitat for Humanity’s work to build affordable houses in your community, visit our website.