GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - Grand Island Area Habitat for Humanity has a chance to receive a $5,000 grant as part of an aluminum can recycling competition.

The competition lasts up to Jan. 1 and would allow Habitat to purchase materials and continue working toward its mission as prices have skyrocketed during the pandemic due to supply and demand. With annual fundraisers and various events cancelled this year due to COVID-19, recycling cans becomes a crucial way to raise money for Habitat.

“When you think about what people recycle for us it’s really great, but we also know that there are so many cans out there that aren’t making it to the recycling center or to our drop sites,” Habitat Executive Director Dana Jelinek said. “It’s something easy that people can do and if they think that their one or two cans or one little bag of cans wouldn’t amount to anything, when everybody puts their cans together it really makes an impact.”

Jelinek said on any given year Habitat will raise roughly $12,000 due to recycling cans.

“The recycling that we do through aluminum cans kept us afloat for a lot of years when things were really really lean for us,” Jelinek said.

Recycling locations are at Pump and Pantry sites throughout Hall, Howard, Hamilton and Merrick County as well as Ace Hardware in Grand Island.

Outside of looking for aluminum cans, Habitat is in need of volunteers to help in picking up from the various sites and taking them to the recycling center. Jelinek says with so many drop sites spread over the four-county area, it can be a tall order for just a few people.

Anyone interested in volunteering should call (308) 385-5510.

By recycling aluminum cans, Habitat is able to purchase the supplies to build homes for low-income individuals who qualify for their loans, get those loans paid back and purchase more supplies with that money. It’s a perpetual cycle of giving that begins with recycling cans.

Courtesy : www.ksnblocal4.com