The students, staff, and faculty from the Ross Education Medical Center campus in Midland, Michigan recently volunteered time at The Red Door Thrift Store in Midland. Volunteering activities ranged between a variety of tasks around the facility. Some of the things that volunteers could be found doing included organizing clothing by size and item, steaming and ironing clothing, and sorting newly arrived items to be priced. Volunteers worked hard to help the store get caught up so that they could continue being a support in the community.
The Red Door’s sole purpose is to support Clare County’s only homeless shelter, Joshua’s House Maternity Home. That means that their profits go directly to that shelter, its supplies, and its operating costs. Joshua’s House Maternity Home operates to provide help, hope, and support specifically for women who are pregnant and homeless. Joshua’s House cares for women from every county in the state of Michigan. Although they offer statewide support, they give first preference to those residing in Clare County which is approximately 30 miles from the Midland campus.
In order to adequately respond to the need across the state, their eventual goal is to open and operate six maternity home shelters throughout the state of Michigan. Each shelter location would ideally have two thrift stores to assist in supporting that local shelter. Even though this store is limited in size, the impact for the women in the communities that are reached can be felt far and wide. The staff, faculty, and students that volunteered eagerly commented that they can’t wait to do this again!
If you are interested in learning more about this organization or how you can help, visit Joshua’s House Facebook page or their website at joshuashouseint.org. To learn more about The Red Door Thrift Store, visit The Red Door Thrift Store Facebook page or their website at thereddoorthriftstore.com.