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Meet Jana Smith of Phoenix Community ToolBank in SouthEast Phoenix

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jana Smith.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Phoenix Community ToolBank is a local nonprofit that stewards an inventory of tools and equipment to lend to nonprofit organizations, schools, neighborhood associations, faith-based groups, etc. for mission related efforts. ToolBank provides access to an over $250,000 inventory of tools and special event equipment for a nominal fee based on duration of use and three percent of the tool’s market value to the state’s charitable sector.

Phoenix Community ToolBank is one of eight brick and mortar ToolBanks throughout the United States affiliated with ToolBank USA. The network also has operates ToolBank Disaster Services, mobile trailers that respond after a disaster to equip volunteers remotely.

ToolBank USA, headquartered in Atlanta GA also is home to the first ToolBank that opened over 26 years ago. The opening of the Phoenix affiliate was speared headed by Iain Hamp, a local Wells Fargo employee. After visiting an affiliate ToolBank during a work trip for a corporate volunteer day, Iain fell in love with the overall mission and opportunity for capacity building that a ToolBank could bring to his city. That started him on an over three year journey to assemble a board, hire me (our first Executive Director) and stock an over 5000 square foot warehouse with tools and equipment ready to deploying into our community.

I was brought on to the ToolBank team in 2014, before there was even a building. I remember my first day was a board meeting and I was blown away by this group of community leaders that could be so passionate about a concept that had yet to even open. I knew my job was to make this happen for Phoenix and I set to work with over 13 years of nonprofit experience at the time. With the help of our board of directors we located a warehouse, collected and painted tools, then began to share our mission where ever we could.

Since our official opening in 2015, ToolBank has loaned $1,323,904.91 worth of tools to equip 47,179 volunteers who participated in 1,290 projects that benefited the community.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
With any new concept or start-up, it takes time to gain momentum and brand recognition. Nationally ToolBank is still a young, smaller nonprofit with the only 8 locations. With our small staff and even smaller marketing budget getting the message out that we are open, the scope of our resource, and we are ready to equip your community projects has been one of our biggest challenges. Nonprofits have been doing volunteer projects for years and often have a system of asking volunteers to bring their own tools, purchasing tools, or borrowing from staff and other nonprofits. Or unfortunately even scaling back projects until they were able to located specialized tools or larger quantities of tools. We want to ensure that never happens again in Arizona! Last year Arizona was host to over 1,230,000 volunteers and ToolBank is here to make sure those volunteers have the tools needed to create community change!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Phoenix Community ToolBank story. Tell us more about the business.
ToolBank provides access to tools and equipment for a variety of charity-based partners to strengthen and celebrate the shared community. ToolBank tools range from power tools to support building projects, to hand held tools such as shovels for planting community gardens, to painting supplies for rehab/upkeep projects and even items such as tables and chairs for events. ToolBank empowers nonprofits and charitable causes to equip volunteers and staff to support projects without having to redirect agency funding away from their critical missions. This also allows the nonprofit to avoid having to store, clean and maintain the tools, which may only be used for a one-time project or infrequent enough to provide additional cost versus benefit to the organization. ToolBank increases the capacity and impact of the local volunteer community, who contributed over $4.5 billion in services during 2016 in the state of Arizona (*Corporation for National & Community Service). When provided access to tools, charitable organizations are empowered to work on the front lines of the most entrenched problems facing our community.

ToolBank currently serves over 150 organizations such as Valley of the Sun United Way, Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun, Children’s Museum, Boy Scout troops and more. One of my favorite projects that we support our playground builds. Since opening we have provided tools to build over 10 playgrounds in the Phoenix Metro area. It makes me smile, especially as a mom, to know that kids have the opportunity to play (safely) in our community. My favorite part of my job is meeting so many amazing nonprofit leaders enhancing our community and knowing ToolBank tools maybe made their job just a little bit easier that day makes me so proud of our work!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, good or bad, will flow in or out of your entire life almost daily. But it is what you do with the opportunities provided that show strength and character. Bad luck is just an opportunity around the corner for something better and a lesson learned. We have learned many lessons as a start-up that I will forever hold with me. But now I know and we are still standing!

Pricing:

  • Our tool handling fee for organizations is 3% of the retail value of the tool per week

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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