The making of our ReStore PSA

Just last month, our store team wandered into new territory, as we created our first-ever Public Service Advertisement (PSA) for our local Twin Cities ReStore locations. PSAs are generally created for charities, messages about health or safety, or topics concerning the general public. These short videos are then distributed to local TV stations to run when they do not have other programming or advertising scheduled. 

As we began planning our video shoot, we knew there would be an incredibly small budget, and that we would need to get creative. We recruited a longtime friend of Habitat, Jim Ankeny from Blue Earth Pictures to shoot and edit the piece, and asked two of our very own staff members, Anna  and Riley, to star in the video.

"When we were at the ReStore and the crew was setting up the shopping cart, I was hanging out in the break room with two ReStore volunteers," Anna said. "One girl was in college and getting credits for class. She asked what we were doing and I told her about the PSA. She seemed super interested and was wondering if she could be featured. Because I didn’t know the script too well, I told her that I’d try to see if she can be on camera. Only a few minutes later, the producer wanted a ReStore volunteer to come behind the counter to grab the lamp from me. I asked her to be that person and she was so excited! It made my day."

"Filming the ReStore PSA was a really cool experience, Riley said. "It was fun getting to work with the production team and learning about all the various elements that go into the shoot. I remember it being a super cold (but sunny!) day – we would shoot a few takes on the porch and then rush inside to warm-up!"

After a full day of shooting and hours of editing, here is the finished product:

"I hope people see the inside of the store and realize there is so many great things to purchase!" Anna said. "I remember walking into the ReStore and thinking, where has this place been all my life!? I would of loved to known about it during my years in college, but I am so excited to go back now for little odds and ends that I need in my apartment."

"It would be wonderful if the ad generates some excitement for the ReStore and all the ways it impacts the community," Riley agreed. "It’s a great resource for people looking to buy/donate furnishings, furniture, and building materials, but it’s also keeping materials out of landfills and generating significant revenue to support Habitat’s mission in the Twin Cities."

We hope you enjoyed watching the video, and we encourage you to share our new video with your friends, family members, and fellow DIYers. Remember, sales made at our stores help to sponsor the building of homes for families in our local community!