WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — This thrift store might sell a variety of goods, but the proceeds help terminally ill patients get the end-of-life services they need.
Sheila Redding is the store manager for the Heart of Georgia Hospice thrift store. She enjoys the opportunity to give back.
"I want to be able to give back to the community and this was the way I could do it," Redding said.
She tries to draw customers in by selling a variety of products.
"We try to make it unique and different that people will want to come in here and shop and then we let them know that all our proceeds go to helping a family that's in need for hospice," Redding said.
Beth and Ron Clymer donated to the store in 2016. After their first visit, they became volunteers.
"Ended up talking with the manager, who invited us to become volunteers and I guess the rest is history. We've been here ever since," Beth said.
During their volunteer time, Beth's sister needed to go into hospice and at that point, it was an easy choice for where she should go.
"We were making that decision for hospice and I said 'no I want to have her put in Heart of Georgia Hospice.' I specifically asked for that," Beth said.
Gene Saunders said the mission of the store is to provide more for the community.
"When people from the community engage, whether they donate, whether they come and volunteer, it all goes back into this community to help the people that can't help their circumstance and we can be there to help them," Saunders said.
Since 2021, the thrift store has provided more than $80,000 for hospice services. Redding wants to continue to make an impact.
"I mean my vision is to make more money so we can help more families so every day I come in here, it's a challenge. I give myself a challenge I make sure that my team and I are just working hard to get stuff out," Redding said.
The thrift store has a variety of sales every month. You can find the calendar on their Facebook page.
The store is located at 1851 Watson Boulevard.