The seeds of the Atlanta Community ToolBank were planted in the early 90's when a small cadre of concerned friends gathered on the weekends to perform no-cost home repairs for senior low-income homeowners in a handful of Atlanta’s historic inner city neighborhoods. The growing need for repairs and the popularity of the service motivated those friends to incorporate as Community Redevelopment, Inc. (CRI), with a straightforward mission of helping homeowners maintain a “warm, safe, and dry” home.
One of the fundamental strengths of the program was its emphasis on collaboration and community involvement. Referrals were handled by local neighborhood associations and civic groups. This practice re-empowered these recovering communities to determine their own path of development, and encouraged homeowners to stay connected to their local community. CRI quickly gained a reputation for quality repairs and sincere, long-term community involvement. The agency’s effectiveness initiated a flow of donated tools and materials to support the mission. The founders then began to informally share their accumulation of tools with other local service groups.
As word spread of CRI’s amazing ‘tool library’, more and more charitable groups clamored for tools as nonprofits and neighborhoods needed ways to leverage their limited resources. Neighborhood groups and nonprofits borrowed CRI’s tools for their own initiatives. The incidental accumulation of resources, fused with an emphasis on partnership, gave birth to the Tool Lending Program. The program presently serves over 180 nonprofits, schools, faith-based groups and community organizations. The tools amplify the impact of nonprofit agencies and community groups as they perform brick-and-mortar projects, lot cleanups, park beautification, and community events of every kind throughout Metro Atlanta.
In a move toward a clearer purpose, CRI changed its name to the Atlanta Community ToolBank in 1996. Due to the large number of volunteers utilizing ToolBank tools, it became necessary to develop a branding system in order to ensure ToolBank inventory was easily identifiable on service work sites. Thus, the blue power was born. A loyal and ever expanding group of warehouse volunteers, known as the "Renew Crew", work to ensure all tools are painted the signature blue color before leaving the ToolBank.
2011 marked the ToolBank's 20th Anniversary, with more than 400,000 volunteers already equipped to serve since 1991!
Additionally, the ToolBank's founding home repair program has now grown into HouseProud Atlanta, Inc., obtaining it's own 501C3 status in late 2011. This newly minted nonprofit continues to provide urgent repair services to senior homeowners in Atlanta Neighborhood Planning Units T, V and K. To date, more than 350 repair projects have been completed.
In January 2009, ToolBank USA was launched with a clear mission - plant new ToolBank's across the country. In 2010, the Charlotte Community ToolBank joined the newly established ToolBank USA affiliate system. As the founding ToolBank, your Atlanta Community ToolBank serves as the model agency and will operate ToolBank University, a training initiative designed to ensure both operational and customer service consistency across ToolBank's nationwide.
The ToolBank tagline is Tools for Change. We’re all about breaking down barriers to service. Building community through collaboration, shared resources, and a spirit of caring. So, when we loan a wheelbarrow to haul tires, it’s not really about the wheelbarrow, or even the tires. It’s about people pushing forward. Reaching out. Showing they will work for what’s right.
That's the Blue Tool Story.