Michael Gainer is both a skilled carpenter and an accomplished educator. He has worked as a community organizer focusing on poverty issues in Boston; a leadership development program director in Oregon; and a building contractor, deconstructing antique timber-framed houses and barns across the Northeast. Michael founded Buffalo ReUse in 2005. ReUse uses creative building deconstruction techniques to counter the common and wasteful practice of demolition. These new techniques not only divert usable materials from the landfill, but also provide job training opportunities for young adults, and marshal resources in the community to develop new assets, such as community gardens and parks. Reclaimed building materials are sold through a ReUse store, a social enterprise endeavor aimed at improving the quality of existing homes in Buffalo.
