WE Have A Lot Going On

The Shop Thrift Store Volunteer Newsletter

Dear Volunteers,

First and foremost, thank you. Your time, attention, and heart are the foundation of everything we do at The Shop Thrift Store. Each time you show up, smile at a customer, sort donations, or help on the floor, you’re not just moving clothes or furniture—you’re moving lives forward.

A Message from Dan

A Mission Growing Stronger

Last month, we assisted 5 people into treatment programs and provided professional counseling for another 8 people.

We have always worked to help people gain access to treatment and recovery resources. Now, we’re taking that mission one step further. Through The Recovery Ecosystem, we are no longer just connecting people to care—we’re providing it directly.

The Recovery Ecosystem offers three levels of support:

• Digital Support – Recovery tools, resources, and encouragement delivered right to someone’s phone.

• Outpatient Treatment – Digital support combined with 24/7 text access to licensed professionals.

• Intensive Outpatient Treatment (IOP) – Everything above, plus three weekly Zoom sessions with a licensed or certified recovery specialist.

This expansion means your work in the store now touches lives in even more direct and meaningful ways. Every sale, every donation received, and every hour you volunteer is fueling real treatment and real recovery.

Store Highlights

The past four months have been an exciting season at The Shop. One of our biggest successes has been the Amazon Returns Treasure Hunt. Week after week, customers have loved the thrill of finding hidden gems—eight items for just $25! It’s created joy for our shoppers, built momentum in the store, and helped fund the mission we c

are about.

New VolunTeams Program

WE are setting up a new and exciting experience for you. The VolunTeams program is a way of organizing and energizing your time and attention to get you the best possible experience for your time in the store. You do not have to join a team, if you like where you are and what you are doing, you just keep on doing that!!!

The trams are:

1. Cashier Team - This is for the people that are focused on the front of the store. Cashing people out and getting them on their way. Making people feel great and adding discounts at the register. This team leaves out final impression and that is one of the most important things we do each day.

2. Processing Team - Processors work all over the store. Recieving donations, testing electronics, pricing and merchandising are all a part of processing. Making sure we offer the best items at a great price.

3. Clothes and Apparel Team - We sort thousands of items each week to select the very best for the store. If you love fashion, have a knack for linens or are a shoe person, this team is for you!

4. Deal Makerz - Want to make people happy? Wish you could help someone that is in need and shopping for the minimum? NOW YOU CAN!! This is a special team of people on the sales floor making sure we charge a fair price to each customer and seeking out people in need. You are the forward action of our mission ( Matthew 25 ), looking to make a deal wherever you can.

More to come later on these teams. You will have a training session for the team you join, but do not worry, it will come to your phone, and you can train whenever you have time. Simple, easy and successful, that is the philosophy of our teams' program.

The Power of Your Time

None of this would be possible without you. Your dedication brings order to the donations, warmth to the shoppers, and strength to the mission. You’ve been the reason the Treasure Hunt thrives, the clothing sales grow, and the furniture finds new homes.

Behind the numbers and activity are people—mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters—who now have new opportunities for healing and freedom. Many of them have expressed their gratitude, not just to The Shop or the Recovery Ecosystem, but to you—the volunteers who make it all work.

From Us to You

Your time is not just valuable—it’s life-changing. Each shift you serve is an investment into hope, dignity, and recovery for someone who desperately needs it. Please know that we see you, we appreciate you, and we are grateful beyond words.

Together, we are proving that a thrift store can be more than a store—it can be a lifeline.

With gratitude, The Shop Team