Helping Hand of Hope launches Thrift Store to give neighbors positive shopping experience

Helping Hand of Hope rolled out a new way of helping neighbors in need this week as they launched their new Thrift Store.

“The Thrift Store is actually an addition to Helping Hand of Hope that we have created in one of the extra areas that we have here,” said Helping Hand of Hope Executive Director Hope Burke. “We really wanted something for when our neighbors come in that really need an extra hand when it comes to clothing or accessories for their home that they were able to come in and actually afford the things that they were coming to get.”

Burke says the Thrift Store was designed to offer a unique experience.

“In our hearts when we did this, we wanted it to be a more of a boutique feel versus just everything thrown together because that was one thing that some of our neighbors had expressed when they go secondhand shopping, they just feel like everything’s everywhere and they don’t ever feel like they get to go and do things like that, like a boutique experience, so that was something very important for us,” Burke said.

All are welcome to enjoy the Thrift Store, and a voucher program is available by meeting with a case manager. Donations to support the Thrift Store will be accepted, however Burke said they are not asking for clothing at this time.

Burke says the Thrift Store is part of some exciting developments at Helping Hand of Hope.

“We’re just really excited about this, and we just want the community to come together, whether they are wanting to donate, whether they’re wanting to buy, come out and just check it out,” Burke said. “Come and see what we really, truly put our heart and soul into and just see the direction that Helping Hand of Hope is doing.”

The Thrift Store is open at Helping Hand of Hope, located at 6796 South Wilson Road in Elizabethtown, from 9 to 11:45 a.m. and 1 to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month.