Second Source......Second Chances

 Since January 2013, my wife and I have been volunteering one day each week at a community thrift store called “Second Source.”  It is a wonderful little thrift store that provides a great variety of clothing, household goods, toys, miscellaneous hardware, furniture, and home houseware items at very affordable prices.  Each Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until around 3:30 p.m., Becky and I work as a team; I run the cash register and Becky bags the goods.  We enjoy interacting with the customers, other volunteers, and store staffers. 



Second Source is located in a small strip shopping center in the west end

of Jefferson City, near the intersection of Hwy. 92 and Old Andrew Johnson Highway

 Thrift stores are neat places to shop and several such stores are in our little community.  .  But getting a “good buy” on something is only part of this story.  The rest of the story is that Second Source profits are used to help give “Second Chances” to families and single women who suddenly find themselves homeless.  

Second Source gives 100% of earnings above operational cost to a homeless shelter called Samaritan House.  This shelter is part of a larger benevolent ministry called Appalachian Outreach, locals simply call it “A.O.”  This non-profit agency is under the umbrella of Carson-Newman University, but the story of A.O.'s operation is too much for this blog, so back to the shelter and Second Source. 

The short of it is that single women, mothers and their kid can find a home for up to 45 days while they stabilize their lives and make a plan for independent living.  They not only find a beautifully furnished place to sleep and shelter; they also find, food, tutoring for the kids, Bible study, and caring Christian friendship and encouragement.

A few paid staffers and lots of volunteers and contributors make this wonderful thrift store ministry run like clock-work.  At Second Source, there are only five paid workers and around twenty to twenty-five regular volunteers who keep the thrift store operating.  Donations of resalable items pour in almost daily from individuals, as well as some retail outlets.  All of the donated items must be sorted, checked for quality, sized, priced, and put on hangers or displayed.  The store personnel and volunteers use three prep day each week (M-T-W) where a lot of behind the scenes work is done and three “sales days” (Th-F-Sat) for customers to purchase goods.

The homeless shelter has been in operation since 1987, using an old house donated by a local couple. The Second Source thrift store emerged some  years later, the brainchild of a few volunteers who began it around 2002 as a means of providing a steady stream of financial support for the homeless shelter. 

The thrift store has flourished over the past twelve years and much of the profits were placed in a building fund to help build a new and larger shelter facility.  That dream was finally realized just over a year ago when a new shelter was opened.  The shelter received many donations from businesses, churches and individuals, but would you believe; some 60% of the 1.3 million dollars needed to build the shelter came from Second Source revenues.  That is simply amazing!



Front side of shelter into reception area and dining area. 
Living and sleeping areas are on provided in family suites and individual rooms.



The shelter also has an outside play area for young children and walking trails for the adults.

 Over the years, hundreds of individuals and families have found temporary shelter and hope through the ministry of Samaritan House.  The new facility is serving well, but operational costs are significant.  Money from Second Source continues to provide a steady stream of financial support for those expenses and other ministry needs.

When folks shop at Second Source they get great deals, but in the process they also are providing “Second Chances” for folks who need temporary shelter and a safe place to live.

So, when you ramble next week, if you live in our area, stop by Second Source and save a buck while also giving somebody a “Second Chance.”  

Learn more about A.O.’s many ministries @ http://web.cn.edu/ao/default.htm

or Samaritan House @ http://web.cn.edu/ao/SamHouse/SamHouse.htm