Our town REALLY needs a community thrift store! I want to start up a not for profit thrift store in town and have it affiliated with the community food pantry. I have talked to a pastor friend in town (we actually attend church in another town) about talking to the other churches and getting things going! I have looked into possible locations, worked on a rudimentary budget, and thought lots about how to set things up etc. She is going to set up a ministerial alliance meeting and let me talk to all the pastors in town! I talked to the owner of the store fronts next door. He has one and possibly both available for rent. There's also a large open space above the stores. It's rough, but it could be cleaned up and used for storage and sorting clothes and stuff. I asked if he would consider donating the rent and taking a tax write off and he said he would talk to his accountant about it! That would be just awesome! There is also a large (huge!) church building that is currently empty. It's for sale for $150,000. But if the owners are willing, the community can benefit from the donation of the church for use as a thrift store. I dont' know what the money situation is but if we can get it, that would just rock! The thrift store could probably make enough to cover taxes and utilities and still have money left to donate to the food pantry. The pastor I talked to also said it could be added to the church emergency funds for community members who need utility and rent assistance. I ALSO thought that maybe volunteers at the store could be "paid" in thrift store vouchers! That way it would be worth their time to be there, but it wouldn't be actual money out of pocket. This would be a good place for girl scouts, boy scouts, youth groups, kids going through confirmation and anyone else who needed service hours to get them! Any other thoughts about this and why it would be a good thing?? I have so many ideas going through my head!! Edie
We have something very similar in a neighboring community. It is a food pantry/thrift store located inside a pregnancy center/family services ministry building. Since it is a ministry with counseling and such available, you have to sign up and be in need to use it, but that would obviously not need to be a requirement for your clientele. A person can earn credit for making donations, volunteering, attending classes there, attending a weekly Bible study, etc. I think you can make purchases at the store without being a registered client, but you have to be registered to use their food pantry. Great idea, btw. I have considered opening a "scratch and dent" food store. We are a very repressed area with few options available for this type of value shopping.
My friend started something similar to what you described. The thrift store was mainly to reach the homeless for Christ, but they assist other people too. There are showers in the back of the building. The homeless that come in have to sign for a shower. Men are only allowed to come in and shower when men are working and the same goes for the women. Although it isn't for profit, being that money was flowing, the city keeps a hand around the necks of those who run it. Dealing with our city is like dealing with the devil. My friend has since handed the store over to a larger group who can really put time into it. After she had her children, it was too much energy and time to keep up with the city, the store, and her family. But the group who took it over are doing a great job. They have reached many for Christ and have helped a lot of homeless get back with their families and get back on their feet.
Sounds a great idea. Shame that whenever someone wants to do something for someone, there will be officials busying around to tell them why they can't do it.
Luckily the churches in town are already set up with non-profit status, so we won't have to go through the difficult process of starting one up. Hopefully there are church members who handle all the money stuff so I won't have to! LOL!
I know someone who set up something very similar. The volunteers do work for vouchers. The store also offers the volunteers classes on writing resumes and access to computers. This way they have some work experience and can hopefully become gainfully employed elsewhere.
Yes, there is often a lot of potential in volunteer work, one way or another, quite apart from the satisfaction of making a difference.
Well, I have decided patience is a virtue and I will try to be patient. After calling people every week we finally have contact with the head of the ministerial alliance. They are setting up a meeting for me to talk to all the towns pastors about my idea! I'll let you know if anything happens!
