Valley Charities Seeks Assistance with Growing Donations
Contributed by Randi Perlman
Just like the population of the Mat-Su Borough, the Valley’s iconic turn-A-leaf Thrift Store is growing all the time. The Thrift Store has become well-known and widely recognized throughout the Mat-Su, and the kindness and generosity of the Valley community is beyond compare. During six days of each week (closed on Tuesday), over 100 cars come by to drop off donations. All sorts of fabulous items are donated throughout those six days. Whether it’s clothing, household goods, furniture, recreational equipment, knick-knacks, or anything else you might imagine, you can usually find it at. These blessings bestowed on the thrift store by many loyal customers are returned to the community-at-large in the form of affordable prices, daily/weekly/monthly specials, and wonderfully friendly, knowledgeable staff who can help you find that one-of-a-kind treasure you’ve been searching for.
Valley Charities, Inc. (VCI), the parent company of, is extremely grateful for the generosity of spirit that provides the enormous amount of ongoing donations received regularly, and without which it could not operate. However, that also presents an ongoing operational challenge which VCI is hoping those same loyal customers can help with. The huge quantity of goods received requires a large amount of manpower to manage. At least two hours per day must be spent moving pallets loaded with donated items so staff can get to their workstations to sort or hang clothing. All inventory received must be sorted, priced and stocked on the shelves. Both staff and some volunteers report a great deal of fun and camaraderie behind the scenes as they work on sorting, pricing, and stocking merchandise, along with a sense of pride and accomplishment. It is especially gratifying for them to witness a happy customer leaving the store with their chosen, affordably priced treasure, knowing that customer will likely return to shop in the future. VCI greatly appreciates the strong community support in the way of donations; now they sincerely need the community’s assistance to process ALL those donations!
At this point in time, is in great need of volunteers willing to spend a bit of time providing a much-needed service to their many customers who may be friends, family, or neighbors. Any amount of time would be helpful for the tasks of sorting all incoming goods, hanging clothing, and testing electrical and battery-operated items. No specific skills are needed other than a friendly attitude and a willingness to give of yourself and your time to assist a very worthy cause. Training will be gratefully provided and all are welcome, including those with special needs, if you are at least 16 years of age. A background check may be required. Perhaps you know of a group that would like to contribute to a meaningful project, such as the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, a Senior Citizens group. Maybe you are part of a local Elders group, or missionaries, or a civic organization such as the Rotary or Lions who are seeking a way to make a positive impact throughout the Mat-Su. If your Church or place of worship has a room available, VCI can bring items for sorting to your location, and your group can volunteer in place. There are countless different ways to volunteer, contribute, and serve your community.
Volunteering promotes a sense of belonging, creates a place to feel comfortable, enables one to do a job they can feel good about, allows for skills sharpening, and provides a purpose. By volunteering for an admirable mission, you can help yourself along with your community by doing something meaningful to both. Volunteering for your favorite charity also helps them by allowing revenue to be directed where it is needed most, enabling them to hold down personnel expenses. In the case of, that translates to lower merchandise prices, thereby helping more people in need. According to the State of Alaska, a volunteer equates to $30 per hour in value. This makes clear the value volunteers bring to the table, both to the organization itself and to its ability to obtain grant funding.
Partnerships are key to any nonprofit organization in fulfilling its mission. VCI partners with United Way of Mat-Su, along with many other organizations, to help residents in our community. United Way’s Day of Caring allows volunteers to choose a nonprofit they care about, team up with others who feel the same way, and provide a day of service to that organization. This is a wonderful experience for both volunteer and the benefiting nonprofit. The current need for committed volunteers at is greater than ever, and if you can commit to just a few hours a week, your service would spread Valley-wide, and your reward would be bettering the lives of others and feeling good about doing so. We’d love to hear from you!
Valley Charities, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing life-changing programs and opportunities to Valley residents. VCI has been quietly serving the Mat-Su Borough for over 60 years. Through their Housing Assistance Partnership Program, Mat-Su Reentry Program, Medical Equipment Lending Program, and turn-A-leaf Thrift Store, alongside many strong community partnerships, VCI serves the needs of Valley residents and helps them thrive. These compassionate programs encompass and fulfill VCI’s vision to make the Mat-Su Valley a healthier and happier place to reside for everyone. For more information, visit www.valleycharities.org or call 907-376-5740.