By: Brenda Palmisano Michelle Haas has been manager of the ReStore since 2015, but her journey with Habitat for Humanity started much earlier during a difficult time in her life. Michelle visited the ReStore as a customer when it first opened and after finding out more about Habitat's mission, she was instantly captivated by the heart of the organization. “After I found out the story behind Habitat and what it did, it inspired me,” Michelle said. “Everyone has such a great work ethic and everyone is after one goal.”

After joining the ReStore team, Michelle continued to share Habitat’s passion for people, which has become her favorite aspect of working at the ReStore.“They really make it a lot of fun to work here and everybody works really well together,” Michelle said. “Working here was probably one of the smartest decisions I have made. I love the staff, and the volunteers; they are like a second family to me.”

Outside of work, Michelle has a secret hobby and skill: she is very skilled with DIY and craft projects. “Most people don’t really know how crafty and artsy I am. I’m kind of a DIY MacGyver; I enjoy creating and fixing things,” she said. In addition to her secret hobby, Michelle also likes to spend time with her kids, who she claims as her main hobby.

“One of the best things about Michelle is that she treats each of her employees with respect,” said JK Barrineau, South ReStore Floor Supervisor. “She values our ideas and opinions and makes us feel like we are each important members of the team. She is a such a team player and is always a pleasure to work with!”