Ottawa Community Thrift
Ottawa Community Thrift is a volunteer-based secondhand shop with a big heart. Our mission is to help fund our community through our network of local charities. We will also promote and contribute to the local arts community.
Ottawa Community Thrift will be a compassionate pillar in LaSalle County. We are already working with Safe Journeys, a local non-profit dedicated to helping survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Ottawa Community Thrift will be a safe place for survivors to come be encouraged and receive a helping hand with items that may help with starting over.
We are also working with Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living, a wonderful non-profit organization out of LaSalle, IL. Their mission is to help people with disabilities regain independence. We will be accepting donations of good secondhand medical / mobility supplies and equipment, which will be given to IVCIL for their "Equipment Loan Closet."
We will offer a voucher/discount program to help residents who survived fire, flood/storm damage, etc.
The store will have a "Take What You Need" Section with free clothes and household items. If you or someone you know is in need, please come grab a few things.
*** If you know of a local non-profit that could use extra support, please send us a message! We want to connect and help this community. ***
Not only will we have furniture, domestic goods, and unique finds for our favorite bargain hunters, we will also feature and promote a different local artist monthly. We will be offering a variety of affordable wellness workshops to promote the health of our neighbors.
Wellness Workshops/Classes Offered:
· Stress Relief Workshops - Self-Acupressure, Breathwork, Meditation & Grounding, Anxiety & Nutrition, Positive Affirmation Writing, Aromatherapy, and more
· Art & Music/Sound Therapy Nights
· Nutritional Healing - Juicing 101, Cooking for Gut Healing, Delicious & Healthy Desserts, Vitamin 101, and more.
** We are open to workshop/class ideas! Please let us know if you have something you'd like to teach or learn.
HOW WE PLAN TO USE THE FUNDS...
We are setting up in an awesome downtown space inside a historic building on Madison Street. Funds will be used for business expenses, rent, utilities etc to get this mission off the ground. We will be donating 20% of raised funds to the recently closed downtown thrift store to help them re-coup some lost profits from the last 3 months of locked doors.
We will invest in a security/anti-theft monitor system for the store. We also need a laptop or tablet which will allow us to keep our community of neighbors, customers and workshop attendees in the loop.
We will be heavily promoting not only our store and workshops, but the entire Ottawa mission-based thrift store community, the local arts community, and all of downtown Ottawa.
IF WE RAISE $10,000
We will buy a truck or van for dedicated donation pickups in and around Ottawa!
GIFTS YOU'LL RECEIVE as an official "Ottawa Community Thrift Contributor" ...
$25 contribution
- Attend 1 workshop of your choice
$50 contribution
- Attend 2 workshops of your choice
- Fun promotional item saying "I ❤ Ottawa Community Thrift"
- "Sprinkle" gift bag of random thrift shop finds!
$100+ contribution
- Attend 3 workshops of your choice
- "Sprinkle" gift bag of random thrift shop finds!
- 25% off 1st store purchase
(up to $10 off)
- Your name listed on our "Thank You" wall inside the store
- An official "I ❤ Ottawa Community Thrift" t-shirt or hat hand tie-dyed by a local artist
HOW ELSE CAN YOU SUPPORT?
· We are accepting store donations!
Please see our Facebook events calendar for the next drop-off event!
· We are accepting volunteer applications! If you'd like to give your time, please visit our Facebook page for details.
· If you are a local artist, reach out so we can feature and promote you!
· Please SHARE the link to this fundraiser and our Facebook and Instagram pages!
By supporting us, you're supporting your neighbors and friends of Ottawa. We are rallying this awesome community onward and upward! In the wake of Covid-19 and the losses we've all faced, we need positive places to share, learn, be uplifted, and of course... treasure hunt! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the support! ❤
