Sean C. Morgan
Sweet Home Gleaners’ thrift store is getting an interior facelift, among other changes the organization has been implementing in recent months.
The Gleaners have been busy putting numerous donations to work and improving their building.
“We’ve done a lot of cleaning, a lot of changes,” said Executive Director Lisa Pye. “We’re being very picky on our donations. If we can’t sell it, we’re not taking it.”
The nonprofit group, which provides to low-income members food gleaned from farms, purchased from the Food Bank and donated by grocers, has dramatically altered the interior appearance of the thrift shop, at 3031 Main St, which helps pay utilities and building expenses.
The shop had “a lot of clutter, not a lot of space to move around,” Pye said. The Gleaners have been working on that since 2012. Then there were places around the shop with single exits. It had little rooms created with shelves hanging from the ceiling.
With donated shelving, Gleaners members have rearranged the shop, removed walls and items that don’t sell and created an open concept store, with wider aisles and space to move. The shop also can display clothing using mannequins donated by Target in Albany and Sweet Home Safeway.
“Now we have lots of ways to get out,” Pye said. “We’re trying to make it open,” allowing volunteer staff to see through the store. “People are talking about it. It looks welcoming.”
It looks more organized, said Tami Morgan, the Gleaners secretary, noting that aisles are easier to get into and not as cluttered.
Until recently, the building’s suspended ceiling had just a few tiles. Using donations from several sources, the Gleaners have installed tiles throughout most of the building, with just a few holes left to fill.
Donations were provided by Home Depot of Eugene, which gave the Gleaners 80 tiles and $100 in merchandise; Willamette Valley Restoration of Eugene, which provided 24 tiles; and May or May Not Construction, which provided approximately 250 tiles.
“I love the way it looks now,” Morgan said. “There’s still room for improvement, but every place does, and I love it.”
Pye attributed the upgrades to Morgan, who has taken the lead in making calls to various businesses and donors to make changes around the building.
“She’s the one that’s making this happen. No one can tell her no.”
Currently, the Gleaners are looking for help with their heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, Pye said. It needs to be replaced, and the Gleaners are looking for grants to help get that done.
The organization has begun running car washes, and they’re going to expand them to include dog washes, noting that people are welcome to bring their own soaps, as a fund-raising tool on nice weekends.
Pye said the Gleaners recently received a grant for food from Pacific Power, and she is collecting a $2,000 check from the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians this week.
Pye said things have improved in the parking lot as well.
Last fall the Gleaners had problems with people dumping broken items, garbage and items the organization cannot legally sell, such as mattresses, in the parking lot during the night. Donations should be given during the day when the Gleaners is open and can accept them.
That problem has declined substantially, Pye said. It’s happened once or twice since then, and the police have been taking care of it.
In one case, Pye posted a video of a man dropping off a couch, she said. He later came in, apologized and took a load of refuse to the dump for the Gleaners.
For more information about the Gleaners or to volunteer, join, help or donate, call the Gleaners at (541) 367-3190.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. the first and second Monday of the month. The Gleaners accept donations of clothing and household goods to sell in its thrift shop. Donations are tax-deductible, and the Gleaners will provide receipts for donations.