A story about going above and beyond, not just by the lovely customers involved but also the thrift store itself.
A distressed man went in to Vinnie’s, he’s homeless and sleeps in a tent locally.
He found an air mattress in the shop to help give him a little more comfort, but didn’t really have enough to purchase it. In no time he had store volunteers offering to pay for it.
Not just them, an elderly tour group who also saw his struggle, insisted they wanted to pay for it for him. When the Vinnie’s store manager saw what was happening, she gave him a voucher for food, a packet of biscuits from their tea room, and asked if he needed any clothes etc.
Then this manager went on the blower to conference call and see what else could be organized for this man.
One of the volunteers then drove him to a place he could get a hot shower, which he hasn’t had access to in god knows how long.
If you think it’s just about selling things at these stores, it’s not, it’s so much more. Stories like this one aren’t isolated but are not often spoken of.
I think it’s important to hear them, and understand that so many thrift stores often do more for individuals and families in crisis than folks realize.