Local shoppers, student volunteers, and Habitat Greater Boston staff gathered around a dining room table at the West Roxbury ReStore on an early fall Saturday morning. In the center was a cake with “Congrats, Marlene!” written in blue icing. As Mark Auterio, director or retail operations at the ReStore, walked the guest of honor toward the group trying to appear nonchalant, it was hard not to smile.
The crowd assembled to celebrate Marlene’s completion of 250 hours of sweat equity as part of Habitat Greater Boston’s homeownership program. Marlene’s is one of five families on their way to becoming homeowners at Habitat Greater Boston’s latest project, located in Malden.
While most families fulfill their sweat equity contribution on the job site helping to build their future homes, Marlene took a different route, opting to put her people skills to work helping ReStore shoppers find exactly what they’re searching for.
Whether assisting customers, working with youth volunteer groups, or helping with general store upkeep, Marlene “demonstrated both compassion and leadership at every turn,” Mark said. As a fluent speaker of both Spanish and English, Marlene has been a unique asset to the team, facilitating communication for ReStore shoppers and showcasing her “remarkable ability to connect with others,” he added.
While cutting price tags for newly donated furniture during her final shift, Marlene said that working with Mark and his staff at the ReStore “has been a pleasure,” adding that she “hopes to continue helping customers find what they’re looking for.”
With this milestone complete, she is now one step closer to achieving affordable homeownership through Habitat Greater Boston. Congrats, Marlene!

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