Things are getting somewhat closer to normal at a popular charitable thrift store after it was closed for almost two months, then reopened with limited hours.
Faith, Hope and Charity (FHC) Recycle store at 449 Industrial Boulevard has gone back to its normal operating hours, confirmed Cheryl Worley, FHC board chairman.
“Our normal shopping hours, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, resumed Aug. 19. We’re very blessed that we are able to be back open,” added Worley.
The thrift store adopted several safety precautions upon its limited-hour reopening in May and they will all remain in effect, Worley confirmed.
Those rules include no more than 31 shoppers allowed in the store at a time, each shopper uses a cart, protective face masks are worn by shoppers and volunteer staff and no infants or children under 15 are admitted.
The store has 31 shopping carts, which helps keep track of the number of customers that enter and exit. When a customer leaves, the cart they used is wiped down, then another customer can enter. Door monitors wipe down the carts and make sure that masks are being worn by customers, Worley noted.
“After the 31st person gets in, we still have a line outside,” she added.
Shoppers have generally been positive about adhering to the safety precautions, Worley said.
“The majority of people have been wonderful. If they don’t notice on the window before they come in, we let them know. You will have one or two that raise a stink, but the majority of people are very understanding,” she added.
Donated items are still being accepted from the public, but the store can only accept as much as its storage carts allow, Worley confirmed.
“It’s day by day. Sometimes the carts are full by 10:15 a.m. and, some days, we can make it to the 3 p.m. cut-off. If it’s a day when one of the other thrift stores is open, we will tell them they can go to (one of those),” Worley said. “We’re very blessed (to get so many donations). We have processed what has come in since (the pandemic started), but it is still adding up. We still had summer stuff that we didn’t get out in the spring, like summer clothing, and we had things like a 50 cent sale to reduce the inventory.”
Joel Taylor, FHC treasurer, described the impact the store closing had on the nonprofit’s charitable mission.
“We budget to accommodate grants to different charities, scholarships for (high school) students and a great benevolence program, so any dollar we do not get in could have an impact on what we donate back to the community. We were closed in April, so we had no income, (for that month). In May, we made about 25 percent of what we would normally do and the last couple of months we’ve been hitting about 75 percent of our budget goal,” Taylor said.
“Everyone has exercised a lot of good fiscal responsibility. We’re still monitoring expenses very closely and we’re basically only spending what we have to. ”
Sales have increased since the new operating hours took effect, he noted.
“We’re hoping, with the increase in hours and by maintaining social distancing and making sure our staff is safe, to get back the levels we were at the last couple of years,” Taylor said. “We’re still supporting and doing what we do as far as our mission. Hopefully, with every additional dollar from sales, we will be able to do more.”
The nonprofit plans to continue its benevolence program, which offers various types of assistance for those who qualify, while also sponsoring grants for other local nonprofits and charitable organizations. Earlier this year, FHC donated just over $200,000 in one-time and monthly recurring grants to 25 local organizations.
“The benevolence office is still going strong. The office is open to in-person (visits). A limited number of clients are allowed into the waiting area and masks are required. We do ask that children not be brought unless absolutely necessary. Worley noted. “For people who get monthly grants from us, the grants were cut across the board by 15 percent. It’s hoped to be back to normal by next year.”
Worley said some of the store’s older volunteers have reduced their participation since the virus
pandemic began and FHC is always in need of new helpers.
“If anyone would like to volunteer, they can come by and talk with our store manager, Marcia Phillips. I would like to thank the volunteers who have kept us open with limited hours during this trying time. In the weeks to come, my hope is that the restrictions can be lifted and our customers can come back full force,” she added.