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by Rose Caldwell

Fri, Aug 26th 2016 12:00 pm
Volunteers Esther and Garry ring up a few items chosen by Austin, another volunteer.

Garry and Mitch sort and price donated items.

A Thrift Store has been added to the variety of services offered to the community by Catholic Charities in Wellsville. The thrift shop opened in expanded space as part of the Food Pantry and Outreach program located at 67 East Pearl St.

Thrift Store hours are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Food Pantry operates Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Wellsville store is currently accepting donations, in good condition and clean, of books, magazines and school/fall clothes. The store also offers small houseware items.

With the addition of the thrift shop, the space utilized for the pantry and store was increased by about one-third, according to Jim Campbell, who coordinates the Wellsville Food Pantry and Outreach.

Campbell has been pleased with the response of the community to the new service.

Volunteers Esther and Garry ring up a few items chosen by Austin, another volunteer.

“Everybody that has been here has really been pleased with it,” he said. “They are happy with the prices, the quality of the items and the cleanliness of the store.”

Volunteers are critical to the services the food pantry and thrift store are able to provide. Campbell said he has added to his corps of dedicated volunteers with the new store.

“Without our faithful volunteers we could not offer these essential services to the community,” noted Campbell. “A total of 25 individuals are now helping out.”

Anyone interested in learning more about volunteering for the thrift store or food pantry are welcome to call or visit the site and pick up an application.

In addition to the pantry and thrift store, Catholic Charities Family and Community Services also offered at the site are counseling for children, adults and families; emergency assistance; Our Kids: Parent Education and Awareness program for separated or divorced parents; Domestic Violence Program for Men court-ordered program; and suicide survivor, domestic violence victims and grief support groups.

Professional, licensed and master’s-level counseling experts provide these services, and most services are free or on a sliding scale based on income. For more information, to schedule an appointment or to join a group, call the Wellsville Office at (585) 593-2015.

For more information about the food pantry or thrift store, please visit the site or call (585) 296-3757.

As the most comprehensive human service provider in Western New York, Catholic Charities served nearly 132,000 people in need in 2015. For 93 years, Catholic Charities has been making a difference for people of every faith and ethnicity in Western New York. Catholic Charities empowers individuals, children and families to achieve meaningful, healthy and productive lives. Catholic Charities is an excellent steward of the contributions it receives, attaining the highest rating (four stars) from Charity Navigator and the 2015 Torch Award for Philanthropic Excellence from the Better Business Bureau Foundation of Upstate New York. The agency also receives highest ratings from the Council on Accreditation for quality service.

Learn more about Catholic Charities at ccwny.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccbuffalo and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ccbuffalo.