God’s Provision

Karen Baden stands in the recently acquired 'back room.'

Overwhelmed with donations.

by Diane Strzelecki
July 2007

Kathy Braden, manager of Caring Hands Thrift Shop in Yorkville, Illinois, (see "More than a Store"), considers herself blessed in so many ways.

“God's provision for this ministry has been amazing,” she says. ‘Every week we are overwhelmed by donations of clothing, furniture and other household items.”

It all began with Braden’s vision, which led to her being hired at Cross Lutheran Church in Yorkville as Community Human Care Coordinator and to the search for a shop location. She had always considered providing people with basic items a personal ministry. Cross Lutheran agreed with her vision, seeing it as a way to be a part of the community.

“Everything fell into place: we got our first choice of a building and don’t pay any rent at all,” Braden says. “We began laying the groundwork for the ministry in July 2006 by meeting with other churches, letting them know we would be opening the store, giving them vouchers so the would send people in need.” In less than a month they had the building and with less than a month of cleaning and painting, they set up shop.

According to Arinne Dickson, External Print Communications Coordinator for Cross Lutheran, Braden had been searching diligently for a suitable site for the store when the opportunity to use the building arose. “When Greg Millen at St. Joseph’s Cabinetry heard about our need, he offered to let us share space that he currently rents for storage,” she said. “We are grateful for his generosity.”

“The community has really come behind us,” Braden adds. “We get donations all the time—sometimes we have so much stuff we don’t have room to sort it.” Not too long ago, Millen opened up another part of the building for their use, dubbed ‘the back room’ by store workers, but they are quickly outgrowing that as well.

“We just need to be efficient and productive in our sorting right now,” Braden says. “I know that the Lord will provide the space we need.”

Barbara McClish, part-time clerk at Caring Hands, adds that their best advertising for both customers and donations is simple word of mouth. The shop also provides area churches and the Kendall County Community Bridges organization with vouchers so that people in need can come in and shop. “We are so blessed,” she says.

For Braden, it’s a simple matter of finding out what people need and how you can serve. “We certainly don’t ‘prequalify’ people here according to need,” she says. “The vouchers are for necessities, but if customers get something for their house to make it a home, I’m not going to argue. I know it lifts their spirits and brightens their day.” (See also "Care and Compassion for Customers.")

Karen Hardecopf, Director of Care Ministries at Cross Lutheran, doesn’t see her office mate very much. “If she’s not at the store, Kathy is in the community, visiting churches and letting them know the shop is there to help or visiting businesses to accept donations,” she says, noting that God’s timing has been evident throughout the growth of the ministry.