Paradise Tool Lending Library Reaches Major Milestone

After years of planning, research, starts and stops, the Paradise Tool Lending Library (PTLL) is a giant leap closer to serving the community: We have a shipping container!

Future home of the Paradise Tool Lending Library

The container -- a beige one-trip, high-cube model -- was delivered to the Paradise Community Garden earlier this week. This turnkey storage solution will keep our collection of tools dry, organized and secure.

What is the Paradise Tool Lending Library?

Tools are expensive, and not everyone has the necessary tools to keep their property safe and beautiful. The Paradise Tool Lending Library was born to change that. More than a set of shelves with tools, it’s a community beehive where resources, skills, and connection is shared for the good of all.

The Paradise Tool Library will help you:

• Get access to landscaping and home improvement tools

• Connect with your community

• Learn practical ways to maintain and improve your homes and properties

Collaboration made it happen

Since the project's inception, space has been a barrier. Fortunately, our friends at Paradise Stronger have partnered with us to co-locate the PTLL alongside the Paradise Community Garden. Regenerating Paradise Board Member Dan Joseph bridges the two projects as manager for both the Garden and the Library.

The Paradise Community Garden, located on Foster Rd. next to Deja Vu Nursery, emerged as a LEADButte project in 2024 and is now operated by Paradise Stronger. It features rentable raised garden beds as well as a communal veggie garden and mini-orchard. Food from the garden is distributed back to the gardeners, Ridge residents and local food pantries.

We're excited to help expand this community hub to offer even more valuable resources to our neighbors on the Ridge.

Thank you to our generous supporters

With a solid plan and suitable location, we started seeking additional support -- and the project resonated.

North Valley Community Foundation and Paradise Rotary Foundation each committed funds to launch the project, and so far, we have received an additional $5,000+ in private donations from generous folks who care about Paradise.

Amazingly, we also received a donated solar power kit from Transfer Flow, Inc. in Chico. This will be essential for powering our computer-based lending system and charging power tool batteries. Additionally, approximately 150 boards (1” x 8” x 4') will be provided by Quality Fence & Repair in Paradise to construct shelving units.

It's thanks to these generous donors and supporters throughout the community that Regenerating Paradise is able to continue our mission “to weave the social fabric that regenerates us.” The PTLL is part of our continuing recovery from the devastation of the Camp Fire and subsequent efforts to help keep our community fire-safe while restoring its damaged ecosystem.

Help co-create the Paradise Tool Lending Library

The long-awaited shipping container has landed, but there are a few more steps before we can lend out our first tools. We'll need to outfit the interior with shelves and hangers to keep everything organized. To beautify the exterior, we plan to paint a lovely garden-inspired mural -- and we're looking for an artist to help us design it!

And of course, we are still raising funds and collecting tool donations to round out our collection. If you would like to contribute, head to www.givebutter.com/rptools for monetary donations or contact nicole@regeneratingparadise.org regarding other types of contributions.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far! And thank you for being part of the Paradise Ridge community!