Reader Profile: Jennifer O’Brien

USE IT UP, wear it out, make it do, or do without is the philosophy behind Resource Depot, where donated discarded materials get a new life through art and education while diverting 200,000 pounds annually from the Palm Beach County, FL, landfill. Resource Depot started 20 years ago to address the county’s growing waste problem, including excess waste from businesses. Overseeing those efforts is Jennifer O’Brien, executive director. “Our message has been about conscious consumerism and making people realize that buying quality matters as well as buying things that are reusable and slowing down this onslaught of things going into the landfill,” says O’Brien. The organization collects donations from businesses and individuals, selling them to teachers, professional artists, families, DIY enthusiasts, and nonprofit organizations, encouraging the creative reuse of everything from carpet squares to craft materials. “We’ve been more selective. We want to make sure we’re not just becoming a secondary landfill,” says O’Brien. Electronics are discouraged. The facility does not use plastic bags, but does offer for sale shopping bags recycled from T-shirts. Resource Depot’s efforts are primarily monetized by grants from the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA) and Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County. Other revenues are derived from afterschool programs, field trips, arts and STEM workshops, and fundraisers such as an SWA 5K run and the Tim Rivers Junk Camp Scholarship Fund, which provides money for children to attend camp to learn to creatively reuse materials by the sale of the late photojournalist’s tropical photos. Revenues also come from the sale of items in the 6,000-square-foot marketplace divided into two sections: a “red hot finds” boutique with higher-value individually-priced items, some of which are new, and a section with bulk items purchased at prices ranging from $5 a bin for a day’s visit to a $65 annual membership. Through Resource Depot, O’Brien is cognizant the next generation’s education is transcending basic Earth Day lessons. “We get so many comments from parents about how their kids won’t let them throw anything out,” she says. “We not only teach the children to think outside of the box, but to make something with the box.”

WHAT SHE DOES DAY TO DAY
O’Brien calls herself a “hands-on” director who does everything from HR to cleaning the toilets. “Mostly, I try to get out in the warehouse and see what’s out there,” she says. “It’s a lot of coordinating with staff. Things move pretty quickly here. I’ve been working hard on board development. I try to get out into the community and stay engaged, but I need to be here for a lot of my work. We’re pretty busy when we’re open for shopping.”

WHAT LED HER INTO THIS LINE OF WORK
O’Brien grew up on “thrift stores and hand-me-downs. That was normal. My kids know that it’s OK,” she says. She earned a Bachelor of Science in art education from Messiah College and teaching certification from Temple University. Before joining Resource Depot in 2012, she was a teaching artist at the Center for Creative Education, visiting services director at the Flagler Museum, and director of programs and youth program director at the Armory Art Center. She patronized Resource Depot in that capacity, was asked to serve on its board of directors, and was tapped to replace the outgoing director.

WHAT SHE LIKES BEST ABOUT HER WORK
“My team is really good,” says O’Brien. “We all believe in the same mission, but we bring so many different skills to the table. I enjoy educating people on reuse. As a nonprofit, we never have quite enough for what we want to do. We’re always altering things; that keeps me going.”

HER GREATEST CHALLENGE
Finding good employees is her greatest challenge, says O’Brien. Staff is augmented with volunteers, but she concedes the work involves a learning curve in properly sorting waste. Two Palm Beach hotels send employees to the facility as part of corporate volunteer programs. O’Brien likes the facility’s rented location but says she’d “love to eventually have a permanent home and branch out.” Competition among nonprofits for Palm Beach philanthropy is stiff, but Resource Depot continues to grow “We haven’t dried out any opportunities,” says O’Brien.