IC Repair, a 100% volunteer-operated group, will team up with the City of Iowa City and other agencies to hold its next repair event at the East Side Recycling Center.
The event provides an opportunity for anyone to bring in a broken or worn item for repair. Volunteer repair experts assess items and fix them for free, provided they have the needed materials on hand. Available repair stations at this event will include:
- Sewing and mending
- Furniture
- Computers, smartphones, and other small electronics
- Electrical, such as for lamps
- Small engines, such as for snowblowers
- Sharpening
- Recycling for electronic cords, cell phones, and batteries will be available at this event at no cost for residents of Johnson County, Kalona, and Riverside.
The volunteers, who have a wide range of skills, focus on teaching guests how to make their own repairs. “One of our goals is to shift people’s mindset to be more about repair and less about automatically throwing something away,” says Jennifer New, one of the event’s founders.
The group has organized quarterly repair events since May 2023. Events in 2025 are scheduled on Jan. 18, April 19, July 20, Oct. 18. Certain repair stations are available at each event, especially small electronics and sewing, while others will change seasonally.
Repairing and maintaining belongings is a vital skill, and IC Repair is grateful for the numerous experts volunteering their talent, time, and ability to transfer knowledge. Fixing items saves money while also diverting waste from the landfill and shrinking our carbon footprint.
Updates regarding specific repair experts and demonstrations will be posted on the IC Repair Facebook page: www.facebook.com/icrepaircafe.
Please contact icrepaircafe@gmail.com with questions or if you are interested in volunteering your repair skills at a future event.
IC Repair (formerly Iowa City Repair Café) is co-sponsored by the City of Iowa City, Iowa City ReStore, LENA Project, and University of Iowa Office of Sustainability and the Environment.