Caring and Sharing still seeking a miracle
Caring and Sharing still seeking a miracle
By: Carin Enovijas
Description: Local volunteers face closure
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 208 times
0 responses 0 comments Local community services provider Caring and Sharing is still looking for a new location for its thrift store operations.
On May 23, the non-profit group was given 30 days notice to evacuate its current location on Curry Street where it has been providing services for seven years.
“We are on the phone night and day trying to find a place, but there’s just nothing available.” said store coordinator Brenda Church.
The organization has until July 1 to relocate the small thrift store that provides revenues for food, clothing, medical and financial assistance to as many as 60 area families each month.
“Everything is either just rented or just sold,” said Church of the search for easily accessible, commercial space. Church said that many local realtors are scrambling to help the organization.
Church, along with other board members, met with City Manager Jason Caudle to explore the possibility of assistance from the city.
“They were very sympathetic and talked to all the city staff, and they’ve been looking for ideas, but came up with a blank,” Church said.
According to Church, the organization is limited by a small budget. She said that ultimately the agency would love to find a building they can afford to purchase, however, if a rental space becomes available first, she will be pleased and relieved.
“We put our heads together, but there’s not a lot of available retail space, and prices are high. That’s not a good combination for a non-profit agency,” Caudle said. He expressed frustration and concern for the organizations’s future, and the clients who will receive no alternative aid should Caring and Sharing have to close.
“There’s not many agencies that do what they do,” Caudle said.
The organization plans to call a board meeting next week to determine what their next step will be, and will most likely have to stop accepting donations until they can establish a new location.
“I don’t even know what we’re going to do with all our stuff. We’re running out of time,” Church said.
The lack of results combined with the ticking of the clock, has discouraged the volunteer staff, that previously vowed they would not allow the agency to become homeless.
According to Church, many of the members of the volunteer staff are in their 70s or older, and not physically capable of performing heavy lifting or strenuous labor.
Church said that representatives from the Mountain Bible Church have made an offer to provide man power when the agency gets ready to make a move.
“We’ve all been in the position that we can use some help. We’ve helped so many over the years, and we’re just hoping that someone will be able to help us now,” Church said in a previous interview with the Tehachapi News.
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