Don Fick

Every community repair program operates with some differences based on the needs and behaviors of their respective community. The advice provided here has been successful but should always be considered in the context of your individual program. Before the doors open, guests are loitering in the hall, on the sidewalk, in their cars. They rush to the front of the line, jostling to get their project registered first. After all, no one likes to wait. The initial line of guests can be a surprise to some volunteers. Their first reaction might be worry or concern that there are too many people waiting too long. They are embarrassed. Does it reflect poorly on the program? Don't worry. Repair Café is optional. It's free. It's fun. People can wait a little. Setup At Repair Café North Carolina, we usually begin setting up an hour before we open our doors. We arrange the room, coaches set up their workspaces, and there is time for fellowship. The coaches and other volunteers don&

  Every community repair program operates with some differences based on the needs and behaviors of their respective community. The advice provided here has been successful but should always be considered in the context of your individual program. Repair Café NC has been using pre-registration as a tool in all of our community repair events since starting in 2017. It helps us estimate the number of guests and get a preview of the projects which might come through the door. It has always been my view that volunteer appreciation is the most essential component of a successful community repair program. It is difficult to recruit qualified coaches who have the skills, enthusiasm, and generosity to participate in a Repair Café. They need to know that their time and talent are appreciated by the organizers and by the guests. One way we do this is to keep them busy with repair projects. If guest attendance levels are low and coaches are idle, they will grow dissatisfied and may not return for