BTH_Fall_2022

volunteer experience

Cabinet shop opens new doors

The goal of the newest MDS project site is to support every other project site. Rather than a temporary response to a disaster, a new cabinet shop in Goessel, Kansas, is ramping up capacity to fabricate kitchen cabinets for at least 50 new homes a year. The mini factory started operation in June and should realize significant savings for MDS while giving volunteers in Kansas a local, year-round location to serve. MDS has a handful of standardized house plans using two kitchens that only differ by 12 inches of cabinetry. Those cabinets tend to be purchased locally at big-box home improvement stores. “The general idea is to build five sets of complete cabinets so a trailer is always ready to go and the pieces are ready to go for the next set,” said MDS central U.S. regional operations coordinator Jeff Koller. MDS typically spends $2,400 to $2,600 per home for each set of kitchen cabinets. It can be as much as $4,500 in a higher-cost-of-living area like California. “We know our fixed costs here over 50 sets, and we’ll deliver these at the cost of $600 for a custom, solid-wood set,” Koller said. A permanent specialized shop did not develop from an organizational strategy to save money. Rod Abrahams of Goessel, who had been building cabinets at his business, Creative Wood, since 1999, was thinking about selling the shop. Meanwhile, Kansas unit chair Cleo Koop was struggling to energize local volunteers, since not everyone is interested in traveling to a distant work site. “We’d been struggling as a Kansas unit with an inheritance,” said Koop, the shop’s project director. “We

weren’t sure what to do with it. In November the Kansas unit put in a chunk of money.” A bookkeeping office and restroom were added. “With the building and tools all here, we just had to figure out how to do the cabinets,” said Abrahams, who

MDS Kansas Unit finds way to energize local volunteers

has been volunteering as shop manager. Koller and Koop said interest has been high. They compare the operation to a sewing circle with sawdust. “This model of engaging local volunteers exists everywhere,” Koller said. He sees potential for other MDS regions to develop shops for roofing trusses, rafters or other building components. — Reprinted in an abridged version from Tim Huber, associate editor at Anabaptist World

behind the hammer 11

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