Iola Senior Citizens raised enough money during 2011 at their 223 N. State St. thrift shop to give $23,300 to 16 benevolent organizations, Joe Hess, a volunteer, told Allen County commissioners on Tuesday.
Hess said the sum is about three-fourths of the center’s income.
“We get in all sorts of clothing and other things, some made Paris and New York City that you can’t buy in Iola,” he said.
Bargain prices include 50 cents for men’s suits.
“I had a man come in last year who found a nice suit and asked how much it was,” Hess said. “When he was told 50 cents, he misunderstood and handed over a $50 bill. He was pretty amazed when we told him it was just 50 cents.”
Donors who ask are provided with a detailed list of values of what they give for tax purposes, Hess said. “That’s something we did with all items years ago when we were affiliated with the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program,” with annual donations topping $250,000.
“Now, we probably have $1 million worth of clothing (new price) go through the shop in a year,” he said.
Most Mondays “we have a huge pile that we hardly can get through,” from weekend donations.
Volunteers come and usually stay for years, although with them being senior citizens there is attrition.
New workers are recruited from customers who want to help.
“We try them out for a few days and whether they stay usually takes care of itself,” Hess said.
No one in need, because of financial circumstances or catastrophe, such as a fire, is turned away, he noted. “Our focus is the poor.”
HESS TOLD commissioners he also was continuing with a project started a year ago, Life Tracking, that he hopes eventually will be helpful for people with alcohol and drug problems.
“The next step is fundraising,” Hess said.
He encouraged commissioners to look favorably on a part of the program that would have enrollees work for the county as unpaid employees, to develop skills necessary for rejoining the work force.
