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MAYODAN — Three men hope their salvage store will help turn lives around.

LOT 2540 — which stands for Least Of These — is inspired by Matthew 25:40 “where Jesus speaks to how we treat the least of these,” said Marty Roberts, one of the founders.

“We are taking stuff (building materials) that would normally be thrown away and restoring it to a new purpose,” he said. “We are helping people who are broken to find restoration in God and Jesus.”

“Everything we do in the store points to restoration and to a redemption — a new life and a new use — whether it is items in the store or people we serve and help find a new purpose,” Dave Burnette said.

The store and ministry kicked off in June in the former Food Lion Building at 411 S. Second Ave. in Mayodan. The Golden Flea Market shares the space.

About a year ago, Kevin Cochran, pastor of Mount Bethel Covenant Church, and Roberts, one of his lay leaders, were shocked to learn Rockingham County has no permanent shelters to help house its more than 300 homeless people.

“One is open in Eden in January and February,” Roberts said. “The rest of the time, families have to go to Guilford County for all the services.”

As a result, Rockingham County sheriff’s deputies spend a lot of their time transporting people in need of a warm place to sleep to a shelter in Greensboro. After meeting with the Rockingham County Help for the Homeless, Cochran, Roberts and Burnette, director of spiritual development at Wendover Hills Wesleyan Church in Summerfield, visited Area 15, a homeless ministry in Charlotte.

“We were shocked and really inspired by how much they could do with God at the core of their ministry,” Roberts said. “This ministry in Charlotte was being supported from within without being funded by government.”

Located in a 23,000-square-foot facility, Area 15 uses re-purposed and salvaged building materials to fill out office space leased to other nonprofits in the area to help with their services. One is the Bike Ministry, where homeless people train to repair bikes, “build their self-confidence and sprinkle in a little bit of Jesus,” Roberts said. Needy kids receive the bicycles.

The men were inspired.

“On the way back from Charlotte, we recognized God had really touched us,” Burnette said. “We knew He was calling us to a salvage and recycle ministry. God takes us and restores us for His purpose.”

Burnette said some old windows from a warehouse have been transformed to display artwork.

“It is amazing to see what happens when somebody takes a little care to something that would normally be thrown out,” Burnette said.

A chance meeting with a stranger on a street in Greensboro led to a beneficial partnership.

Ken Collins, a furniture restorer and a member Glenwood Homeowners Association, introduced the local group to Mike Beyers, project manager for UNCG.

The college has purchased about 100 homes and commercial properties in the Glenwood area. The homes will be torn down to build new student housing.

This also led to a partnership with Architectural Salvage of Greensboro and Preservation Greensboro to collect material from the neighborhood and divert as much as possible from the landfill.

About 30,000 pounds of materials have been taken to Madison and cleaned for sale to homeowners, people remodeling their homes, contractors and re-modelers. Many artists create art from doors and windows purchased there.

The mission has three phases in mind, with the eventual goal of a shelter.

Phase One includes a retail store for the ministry, a prayer center offering services, a food pantry and a free store. Vocational mentoring also is being provided. Two people who were at high risk for homelessness were hired to work at the site, and the trio has mentored them.

“We are teaching a man to fish versus just feeding him,” Roberts said. “Everything we are doing is with that concept in mind as we are looking to heal them.”

Phase Two will start in 2012 and include recovery and counseling services with a sponsorship from Celebrate Recovery, a Christian based step-program similar to AA.

Celebrate Recovery is a program designed for people dealing with hurts, hang-ups and habits, Burnette said.

Phase Three is a shelter somewhere in the county. The men agree this will require a lot of resources and provision.

“If someone is willing to donate a facility, we would be grateful, and we would work out all the details,” Burnette said.

Roberts said they hope to find a hotel with a restaurant so they can incorporate vocational training for running a business and restaurant into the shelter.
Asked about a wish list, the men quickly agreed: Prayers, volunteers, community involvement, funding, customers and donors for the store.

“Our ultimate goal is to be providing physical as well as spiritual healing for the community in Rockingham County while being fully dependent on God,” Cochran said.

Reidsville native Ann Fish has lived in Eden since 1979. Contact her at annsomersfish@yahoo.com.