There are not too many appliances that families depend upon more than a kitchen stove. A few months ago, I had one of those weeks when my appliances were all out of sync. They must have gathered around the kitchen “triangle” and conjured up ways to drive my husband and I crazy.

The nozzle on the faucet sprayed me down, the fridge was particularly frisky and wouldn’t close without an extra nudge and there were two broken wine glasses in the dishwasher, which made it treacherous territory to empty. You get my drift. My appliances were as unruly as inanimate objects can get. All but the stove, it just died. I should have been happy because it exceeded its lifespan and lived to the ripe old age of 22.

After cooking on my woodstove for about a minute, I realized I was faced with a major, major appliance purchase. I had been coveting a no-frills professional gas stove for a long time, but the price tag is in the $4,000 range. I started my search on eBay for a gently used stove and got nowhere. Besides, the shipping costs would have been astronomical. I had heard about an organization called Green Demolitions. I knew they sold used kitchen and bath appliances, but I didn’t know much else.

Green Demolitions: Recycling Luxury for Recovery is a non-profit organization that provides recycled luxury kitchens and baths at 50-70 percent off new retail prices. The appliances and fixtures are donated from estates that are demolished and renovated. To even sweeten the pot, the proceeds of the sale go directly to their organization that is an “entrepreneurial charitable enterprise” that supports outreach programs for AAA (All Addicts Anonymous).

The obvious benefit for the buyer is clear; recycled quality appliances for a fraction of the cost. An added bonus is that your hard earned cash goes to help others. I like that.

Green Demolitions connects people who want to give, with people who need something, for people in need. The donor gets a tax saving, reduced labor and/or disposal, while they protect the environment through the reduction of landfill waste. People who donate know their stuff is going to a great cause. I like that too!

Now my shiny, nearly new professional stove, which I got for a song, is the focal point of my kitchen and the object of my gourmet cook husband’s affection. Green Demolitions has put the rest of the revolutionaries in the “triangle” on high alert.

Ronnie Citron-Fink lives in New York with her husband, two children (when they come home to the nest), two dogs and a cat. Ronnie is a teacher and a writer. She has been a contributing writer for Family Fun magazine. She currently writes articles about education and home design. Her writings are in four books including Family Fun Home and Some Delights of the Hudson Valley.