RIDE SHARE POSTS, RENTAL REQUESTS AND ITEMS WANTED/FOR SALE MUST HAVE CONTACT INFO IN THE POST.
To those concerned….
Posted by Stephanie W on April 14, 2024, 8:16 am
Recently I posted a request and asked about the color choices in repainting the benches in the main Jardin! And the post went all goofy and off topic and brought up store business and how we spend our revenue! I am referring to both Otra Vez thrift store and Helping Hands bookstore! And then I fell into the same weird hole and answered on that post! And it continues to draw questions about how we either spend our incomes, both stores, or not!
So to set the record straight! And for those that never knew what we are all about, and I include the volunteers, some of which have been helping out for over 15 years!
The bookstore was started in 2004 with a handful of books and just grew to its present state generating enough money to sponsor students at La Catalina and help out locals in need of small financial assistance! It operates on a fairly tight budget as we have increased our students substantially and are overjoyed at their successes and graduations from various colleges! We pay the rent and the electric bill and look forward to high season again as our coffers there are low after the summer months of near zero income!
The thrift store is another story! No one could have guessed that it’s success would be what it is! Certainly not Jose and I when we designed it along the same lines 5 years ago…donations, volunteers…and folks in need or want of various items! And again staffed by volunteers! The monies generated there have gone to schools, major hospitalizations and projects in the community..and we are always on the lookout for others or are in hopes that folks will come to us with their ideas or needs! Some projects pan out, others get stalled due to local politics or major delays in organization! At our meetings we discuss new ideas and try and come to decisions that will serve the community in total! We are currently on hold for several larger projects but the store still generates income so we have excess but always ample to serve in emergencies!
Our books are transparent and we post our monthly earnings for all to see and I think most volunteers are aware that our mission statement is to serve community and what various projects are in the works!
And yes, we get scrutinized and that helps us actually to stay focused in our endeavors.and continue to serve! In a small town where chatter is inevitable and misinformation is the norm we encourage you to ask us the pertinent questions…we have the answers!
Thanks to all the volunteers, to those that donated, to our satisfied customers and have a great summer!
Sorry Barb…the hours have changed…now open at both stores MW and F from 10-12! Most the volunteers have either left or are getting ready to leave…as well as everyone else…so…cuts had to be made!