After a dozen years serving families in San Luis through our tuition program, we decided to expand our ministry. We took a giant leap of faith, and in August 2015 we opened a thrift shop in our local community—the Foothills near Yuma, Arizona. Now we are helping veterans, homeless, and underprivileged families in the Yuma and Foothills area. It's amazing what you can do—even as a start up—if you have a heart for those in need. Volunteers and donations are always needed at the thrift shop, and with the help of the community those are coming in.
Here are some of the organizations we support thanks to your donations, purchases, and volunteer work:
Right Turn For Vets: We supply special needs on request and provide items for their garage sales so they can raise funds. Right Turn helps our displaced veterans. |
Jessie's Closet: We supply diapers for foster families. |
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SDA Community Center: We supply hygiene products and staple food items using the change donated at the thrift store each week. Also tents, tarps, sleeping bags, and specific clothing and household items. The community center helps homeless and underprivileged families. |
Random Acts of Kindness: We supply special needs on request as well as clothing for their garage sales. We also supply some minor household items for their sales as needed. RAK helps local families with special needs. |
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King's Kids: We support the before and after school King's Kids program. We donate 5% of gross sales each month to help with their supplies and other needs. |
Achieve: We give our non-functioning electronics, electrical appliances that are repairable, and battery-operated toys for their electronic recycling program. |
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Immanuel Southern Baptist Church: We supply food items for their food pantry. |
Echo Ministries: We donate usable mattresses, toilets, sinks, and other items for needy families. |
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H.E.L.P. Extended: We provide mobility equipment—wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, risers, stools, etc. |
Scholarships: We provide scholarships for local university students in need. |
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Tier Drop: We supply clothing and household items for their garage sales. Tier Drop helps families in need of food and other items. |
Yuma's Safe House: We supply clothing and toys for the children in Yuma County's only domestic violence shelter. |
And finally, once a year we give each of our volunteers a check that they turn around and donate to a charity that is near and dear to their hearts. In this way we spread the blessings much farther and wider than we ever could through our "regular channels."
We have no paid staff. All of our nearly 50 volunteers donate their time and talent to this ministry. We still have overhead costs, though, such as rent, utilities, and office supplies. With your help we are able to cover these expenses and are amazed at how much we are able to reach out to our community here in the Foothills of Arizona.
Keep watching us as we constantly work to improve our shop and expand our ministry.
