Jason Wheeler, founder of JackRabbit Salvage Marketplace, has partnered with his alma mater, Cal Poly, to connect salvaged construction materials with people ready to give them a second life.
A business graduate from the class of 2000, Wheeler recognized the potential of Kennedy Library's discarded flooring, destined for the landfill but full of new possibilities.
“I saw materials going to waste as costs soared,” he said. “We needed a system to repurpose valuable resources, not discard them.”
Seven students partnered with Wheeler to upgrade the site in real time, revamping the database and administrative dashboards and enhancing interactive maps, including user-login features to make it more user-friendly and visually engaging.
For students, the project offered both technical development and personal insight.
“The materials from the library could be reused elsewhere around town,” said computer science student Michelle Chi. “It’s a community-based approach to conservation.”
“These students didn’t just hand off code; they left a foundation for the next group to build on,” Wheeler said. “That kind of continuity mirrors what they’ll experience in the real world.”
JackRabbit’s next phase includes a new “storefront” feature designed to help organizations like Habitat for Humanity showcase materials for reuse. The platform’s name reflects its quick-action philosophy: a jump-on-it mindset that turns demolition waste into shared resources with lasting value.
