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contributing to the Habitat mission, which is now at work on
its 76th house in the Athens area.
Project Sate Thrift Store
995 Hawthorne Ave. ??? 706-425-8863
www.project-safestore.org
Project Safe is a nonprofit organization founded in Athens
with the mission of preventing domestic violence and helping
survivors of abuse. Its thrift store not only raises money for
its emergency shelter, but also allows clients in their system
to come to the store for whatever they need. Project Safe
offers long-term support through its Follow Up and Transitional
Housing programs, and donated items help set up clients in
their new living situations. For this reason, microwaves, chests
of drawers, pots and pans, and towels are especially needed,
explains Gwenn Carter, floor manager of the store. The thrift
store is in part "a way for donors who don't really have money
to share what we do," she says, and the Athens community has
been very supportive since the store opened in 2005.
The store also collects needed items such as toiletries, trash
bags and school supplies. A full wish list can be found on its
website. Unlike many stores, Project Safe is able to accept
clothing that is torn or stained; pieces they can't use are sold
in bulk to a dealer. And though the majority of the clothes
donated to the store are for women and children, they do
appreciate clothing for men and older boys as well.
Project Safe also runs P.S. Too, a boutique thrift shop
located at 1055 Gaines School Rd. that sells locally donated,
gently used brand-name and designer clothing and accessories.
The Salvation Army Thrift Store
484 Hawthorne Ave. ??? 706-543-5350
www.salvationarmy-georgia.org
The Salvation Army first became active in Athens in 1916.
Dedicated to serving "the least, the last, and the lost," as part
of its Athens ministry it offers an emergency shelter, a food
pantry and social services to men, women and children in need.
The Salvation Army also operates many youth programs in the
area, including a summer camp in Jasper, GA. Its thrift store
has been in operation since 1979, and all proceeds are used to
benefit programs in the Athens-Clarke County area. Pick-up of
large donations can be arranged by calling the store.
St. Mary???s Hospice House Thrift Store
2165 West Broad St. ??? 706-389-2772
|www.stmarysathens.com/patient-info/thrift-store|
All proceeds of St. Mary's Hospice House Thrift Store benefit
St. Mary's hospice services, and in the past two years the store
has raised more than $100,000, says Patricia Schlotzhauer,
thrift store chairperson of St. Mary's Volunteer Auxiliary.
This money helped purchase supplies such as pain pumps, IV
pumps and computers, and helped pay for the care of indigent
patients and for costs not covered by other patients' insurance,
to name just a few projects.
Bright and pleasant, the store is filled with attractive dis
plays of high-quality clothing and household items, as well as
books, movies and art. The store also includes a room dedi
cated to Christmas decorations. It can accept prescription eye
glasses, which are passed on to the Lions Club, which collects
and recycles them. For large donations, the store can send "Old
Yeller," a former St. Mary's ambulance that has been stripped
of its medical equipment and painted bright yellow. But even
though they do sell furniture from time to time, clothes and
smaller household items are their mainstays, as many volun
teers are 65 or older. "Lifting is the hard part for us, but if a
sofa comes in, we'll sell it," says Schlotzhauer.
T his guide only scratches the surface of the donation
guidelines of these groups, so if you choose to contrib
ute, always call ahead about items you're unsure of, or check
the stores' websites for details. And if you unearth unusable
belongings like broken toasters or ajar of dead batteries,
Athens-Clarke County's recycling facilities can take a stagger
ing variety of things (see http://www.athensclarkecounty.com/
index.aspx?NID=1329 for a full guide). You might also dive into
researching the myriad other good causes in town that accept
specific belongings, such as BikeAthens or Free IT Athens. But
for a big purge, nothing beats a free pick-up from the thrift
store of your choice, and the satisfaction of knowing that your
old things are being put to good use close to home.
C. J. Bartenuk
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Talk About It
If you have a friend you think may be in
an abusive relationship, talk with her or
him about it. Don't ignore the problem;
it will not go away. You can make a
difference by starting a conversation
with your friend or coworker. You don't
have to be an expert to talk about abuse,
you just need to be a friend. Listen to and
believe what your friend is telling you.
Our hotline advocates are here to help
if you have questions about how to start
the conversation.
706-543-3331
Hotline, 24 hours/day ??
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