The Elk Valley Thrift Shop in Sparwood is a relatively new enterprise run by a successful non-profit organization that distributes $5,000 each month to its community. In just three years, the Elk Valley Thrift Shop Society donated more than $220,000 to many causes throughout the Elk Valley.
They have a customer first policy, embrace the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle, and maintain a strict no dumping policy, demonstrated by the 57 tonnes of textiles they have recycled and kept from the landfill.
And now they are ready to expand.
The society participated in the Trust’s Non-Profit Advisors program and the Basin Business Advisors program to develop a business plan to purchase their own building and move from the retail space they have outgrown.
Through a combination of a grant and a business investment loan, the Trust is helping the Elk Valley Thrift Shop Society purchase and renovate a three-storey building that will give them more retail space, more storage space, and more room for their volunteers. They plan to expand their volunteer program to attract more young volunteers, and the new space will be wheel chair accessible, making it possible for people with disabilities to volunteer.
Sparwood and the communities in the Elk Valley will continue to receive the benefits from the shop. With a new, bigger building and more capacity, the society is projecting increasing its donations to communities. Everyone wins!
The new location in Centennial Square will be open at the beginning of November.
