The Salvation Army’s Family Thrift Store Groundbreaking Held Today

The Salvation Army of Quincy, Illinois officially broke ground on a new Family Thrift Store building this morning. The new building will be located at 425 Broadway across the street from the Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, and across 5th Street from the John Gardner Stevenson Family Emergency Shelter & Family Services building.

The new thrift store is being constructed to allow better access and parking for customers and donors of goods. For those wishing to donate items, a drive-thru operation will be part of the new building, making it very convenient to drop off donations. Upon the opening of this new facility, in the summer of 2015, The Salvation Army Thrift Store at 812 Maine Street will close.

The Thrift Store is an important component of The Salvation Army’s operations, since proceeds from sales help fund The Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in Quincy. It is part of the “hand up, not a hand out” process which ultimately supports shelter residents in the long run.

It is hoped that the new store, with better access and more parking, will help provide much needed additional revenue for the Emergency Shelter.That shelter provides emergency housing for families and single men and women. It is the only shelter within more than 100 miles serving both singles and families.

The Family Thrift Store provides vouchers to area schools for teachers and administrators to share with families in need. Last year, 4,903 items of clothing and furniture were provided to qualified individuals through The Salvation Army Family Services and Emergency Shelter.