The National Association of Resale Professionals released its latest numbers associated with thrift stores. The resale stores, which include both thrift stores and consignment shops, each year has increased over the past two years. In fact, Goodwill, which is one of the more visible charitable organizations that operates thrift stores in Orange County, California and elsewhere, now has more than 2,500 nonprofit stores in the U.S. Other second-hand shops are thriving as well. Savers has close to 300 locations around the country and has been consistently adding twenty a year to various locations.
Make no mistake, thrift stores are here to stay. Not only that, but there are a few thrift stores in Orange County as well. Here is where we found them.
The Assistance League in Irvine was founded in 1990 and its volunteers have more than 200,000 hours clocked in their community through various philanthropic activities. Along with scholarships and providing food and clothing to families in need, it has also worked with other organizations to provide funding through its thrift stores. In fact, the Board states that more than 300,000 children in this country do not get the clothes they need to start school. This is where AL comes into play. It is a powerful group that works to empower those less fortunate in their community.
Another great organization in Orange County is the Women Helping Women, or WHW Organization. This is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization that works to help women land the jobs they need to become independent. They do this in a number of ways, including fundraisers that allow other women to donate business clothing so that a woman might be able to accept a request for an interview and show up dressed smartly and confident. They note that the four biggest challenges in Orange County – not just for women, either – include:
The need for stable housing (more than 25,000 Orange County school-age children are homeless).
Incomes that allow families to become sustainable (more than 350,000 residents in the city of Orange County alone do not know where their next meal will come from).
Healthcare (25 percent of residents in the city of Orange County live in poverty and with no healthcare insurance).
Education (more than 2,300 Orange County students drop out of school every year).
The need in the city of Orange County is great. Good jobs allow families to pull together and find a way out. Women are often the leaders in their families, especially in single-parent homes. What better way to help than to empower her in a way that allows her to show her children what dedication and determination can do? You can support WHW by shopping in its thrift stores, Deja New.
Finally, we visit Sav More Thrift. Located in Santa Ana, this thrift store is large with clothing, furnishings and more. Great prices make it a great choice for families looking to rein in their spending. Sav More Thrift is located in Santa Ana and offers plenty of free parking.
