Adelante Thrift's Ribbon Cutting 3 years ago!
Written by Elena Chan, Community Development Director
It was three years ago, on March 14, 2015, that we opened the doors of Adelante Thrift. This was a huge step in Mission Adelante’s journey to expand from helping individuals in their personal development to bringing transformation on a larger community scale. The opening of Adelante Thrift began with a dream to operate a retail store that would provide a unique and affordable shopping experience, promote job creation, and support community transformation through its profits. This dream was met with logistical hurdles, including finding the right location and raising the necessary capital, but in 2015, it became a reality!
Three years later, we are still on this journey. We continue to press forward to achieve greater community impact and sustainability even as we celebrate what we have accomplished so far:
- We have employed nearly 50 people, paying over $688,000 in wages.
- We have received over a million dollars worth of donations and sold them at affordable prices in the community.
- We have partnered with over 7,000 individuals and 175 organizations including churches, businesses, schools, and local government.
- We have made a profit nine of the last 12 months.
Adelante Thrift is something that God inspired and led us to pursue. We are grateful for His provision and guidance-- He has been with us every step of the journey, through the challenges and successes. Adelante Thrift wouldn’t be where it is now without our loyal customers, our dedicated team of employees, and our faithful partners who come to volunteer along with us, bring donations, and financially support us.
What is the next step of this journey? Adelante Thrift has begun to consistently earn a profit, so we are excited to be considering how to financially support Community Development initiatives at Mission Adelante! And we are looking forward to what God will do in and through Adelante Thrift in the next year!