“Thrift-y” Spring Cleaning Tips

Winter’s almost over. It’s time to end your annual hibernation underneath piles of laundry and clean out those closets, drawers and garages. You can do it!

Winter’s almost over.  It’s time to end your annual hibernation underneath piles of laundry and clean out those closets, drawers and garages.  You can do it!

But once you’ve released your emotional attachment to all that stuff, what on Earth would you do with it?  Maybe sell it on an online site, have a yard sale or give it away.

The folks at Thrift Harbor have a suggestion – donate it and watch synchronicity in action. 

Here’s how it works:  (1)You donate your clothing, household and décor items, and furniture items in gently used condition.  (2) The volunteers at Thrift Harbor take the items and sort them, clean them, label them and place them in retail stores in Claremore, Bartlesville and Rogers, Arkansas.  (3) Shoppers from the community get deals for reasonably priced items, making it easy to clothe their families and provide household necessities. (4) The non-profit organization uses the money collected at the stores to support Hope Harbor, which provides on-site services for at-risk teens through it’s Children’s Home and Academy, including professional Christian counseling and parent training services that improve the lives of children and the needs of families facing pain, loss and desperation.  (5) The stores are also used for on-the-job training and career enhancement for volunteers, which improve economic development.

“In the beginning, Thrift Harbor was created to develop a retail stream of financial support for all Hope Harbor programming,” said Chris Brill, assistant director of Hope Harbor.  “But the vision has developed over the years to include much more meaningful relationships with the community, particularly with volunteers. We are simply astounded at the positive force our retail stores have forged in all the communities we serve. We are humbled.”

Long-time volunteers turned permanent employees Mary Baumgardner and Kayla McDrummond agree that the mission of Hope Harbor has grown to into a multi-faceted one.

“We have regular customers who come in and call us by name,” said McDrummond.  “They tell us their stories and we think of them as extended family.”

Baumgardner explained that customers are appreciative of the low cost for quality items and for the fellowship the staff provides. “Thrift Harbor is a beautiful way to serve one another.”

Hope Harbor also donates new underwear and socks, along with shoes and clothing items to local schools for their clothes closets in nearly every school in Rogers County.  Children needing a quick change of clothes or more substantial needs are served by Hope Harbor.  The items come from your donations to Thrift Harbor.

If you would like to donate items, Thrift Harbor has over 100 blue donation bins all over northeastern Oklahoma, northwest Arkansas and southeast Kansas, or you may donate directly at any of the retail stores.  To volunteer, you may call or visit any retail store during hours of operation.