CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. — Calhoun County Cares says it is more than a thrift store, but a neighbor to the community.
“We do a lot of different things but it all goes back to the county and everything in here is done by proceeds of sales of items that are donated and just general donations," said treasurer Reta Westbury.
The store sells everything from donated household items to clothes, books, and furniture. Westbury says each penny earned at the store gets invested back into the community.
Part of the proceeds are given to DSS to provide assistance for utilities and lodging for fire victims. The rest go toward school supplies and other community organizations.
“Just about anything, if there is a need, we are willing to listen to the need and give back," said Westbury.
She says the store is primarily staffed by senior volunteers, some who have chosen not to return since the pandemic, so they cut back store hours. She says even amid the obstacles, the store is still going strong.
“We still took in $35,000 worth of sales that year even with that and then we’ve opened back up and we’re not back up to capacity as much as we would normally take in sales but we’re working on that and it’s going up," said Westbury.
They're looking for helping hands to keep their store going so they can continue to serve the people of Calhoun County.
“We give a lot of credit to God because we think the bank balance never goes down and sometimes we wonder how that happens when we don’t know if it’s going to but it always does."
For more information about how to volunteer, or to donate, contact Calhoun County Cares on Facebook.