History
From inception in 2003 a task force of early education advocates was committed to finding alternative ways of limited financial resources for learning materials and professional development in educational and non-profits organizations. The solution was the incorporation in 2004 of the ReThink and ReUse Center, a reusable resource center.
Uniqueness of the ReThink and ReUse Center lies with:
1. engaging the business community to donate disarded materials access by educators, non-profit organizations and families
2. a place to provide on site as well as off site interactive educational and follow-up workshops for participants to gain knowledge of how the play process with unstructured materials can build educational foundation skills in children and engage them in environmental responsibility
3. a place to provide fun activities with a purpose: field trips for children, play dates, "green" girls night out, boys who want to build
The Center has a variety of programs and training events to spread the use of recycled materials for learning, team building, creative and inspiration and fun.
Volunteers - The ReThink and ReUse Center is always in need of volunteers. Volunteer as a group or individual to collect materials and help our in the center. Call 305-267-6665.
Materials
The ReThink and ReUse Center is open to educators of early learning facilities and schools, families, staff of non-profit organizations, and environmental artists. Please review the service membership page for guidelines.
The ReThink and ReUse Center does not have your standard classroom materials. Materials found at the ReThink and ReUse Center encourages users to practice their innate ability to be natural researchers and the use of a child's free-spirited imagination in a risk-free environment. Clean reusable materials formerly headed to landfills are diverted to be selected to use with children and youth in learning activities to develop math, science, literacy and social skills.
Materials at the ReThink and ReUse Center are primarily from local businesses and manufacturers who generate an abundance of solid water products: overruns, discontinued items, rejects, obsolete parts, packaging water. The Girl Scouts, families and enviromentally concerned citizens also collect and donate items such as bottle caps, old jewelry, cd's, and plastic tennis ball cans to help young children learn to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Since materials are donated, some materials are a one time donation and other materials we have on a regular basis. The ReThink and ReUse Center encourages preservation of the environment by providing local companies and families the opportunity to work together to promote community-wide ecological responsibility and meaningful learning experiences for children and youth to use environmentally friendly and innovative solutions.
