l
Volunteer Brenda Brzezinski sweeps dust off consignment items Monday at Randlin Bridges of Hope Store on the corner of Bridge Street and North First Avenue in Wausau. Low 2011 sales for Randlin Homes might force the nonprofit to close one of its homeless shelters. / Xai Kha/Wausau Daily Herald
For more information, call Larry Payne at 715-869-2756 or visit www.randlinhomes.org.
Randlin Homes might be forced to close one of its homeless shelters after sales dropped $38,000 in 2011 compared to 2010 at its two Wausau thrift stores.
The nonprofit Randlin Homes was founded in 2001 in Wausau to provide shelter for homeless veterans and now owns six homes with a total of 46 beds. The organization also helps link its residents who abuse alcohol and drugs to counselors, and teaches residents skills so they can hold jobs.
Randlin relies on sales from its thrift stores for the majority of its income and already struggles to pay its loans and utility bills, said Linda Larson Schlitz, president of Randlin Homes. Schlitz and Randlin leaders don't know why people are not shopping at the thrift stores and hope people think of the stores as a shopping destination.
If customers don't return, Randlin might be forced to close or sell one of its homes, Schlitz said. Randlin officials are trying to find ways to attract more shoppers to their stores before taking drastic, cost-saving measures, she said.
"(The thrift stores) are our main thing we do," Schlitz said. "It's how we make our living. Thirty-eight thousand dollars, that's a lot of money we don't have."
Randlin's secondhand resale store, Gallery of Hope and Thrift Store at 1006 N. Sixth St., sells antiques, collectibles, furniture and books. Randlin's second store, Randlin Bridges of Hope Store at the intersection of Bridge Street and First Avenue, sells upscale furniture, artwork and household items.
The stores are run predominately by Randlin residents themselves and a few volunteers, none of whom are paid.
About nine months ago, Desert Storm Navy veteran Brian Kitzman, 39, suffered through family problems while living in Stevens Point. Kitzman said he turned to alcohol to cope, was arrested for drunken driving and spent a couple of months in jail. Kitzman joined Randlin after a month-long stint in an alcohol abuse rehabilitation center and turned his life around.
Kitzman now drives a truck for Randlin's moving company and is working with another Randlin resident to open a transitional living facility for other residents who are battling job loss and homelessness.
"I'd probably be staggering around doing the same thing I did previously," Kitzman said, referring to what he might be doing without help from Randlin.
Scott Berger, Marathon County's veterans service officer, said he often refers homeless veterans to Randlin and would be disappointed if Randlin would have less space to house the homeless. The alternative to Randlin is The Salvation Army shelter, but that facility is often full, and the nearest Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs shelters are in King, Chippewa Falls and Fort McCoy, Berger said.
"Many times, people I come across that are homeless are reluctant to go away, especially if they are from this community," Berger said.
To avoid closing the doors to one of the homes, Randlin needs shoppers or cash donations, Schlitz said.
"Why go and buy somewhere else when you can buy from a nonprofit?" Schlitz said.
Randlin relies on sales from its thrift stores for the majority of its income and already struggles to pay its loans and utility bills, said Linda Larson Schlitz, president of Randlin Homes. Schlitz and Randlin leaders don't know why people are not shopping at the thrift stores and hope people think of the stores as a shopping destination.
If customers don't return, Randlin might be forced to close or sell one of its homes, Schlitz said. Randlin officials are trying to find ways to attract more shoppers to their stores before taking drastic, cost-saving measures, she said.
"(The thrift stores) are our main thing we do," Schlitz said. "It's how we make our living. Thirty-eight thousand dollars, that's a lot of money we don't have."
Randlin's secondhand resale store, Gallery of Hope and Thrift Store at 1006 N. Sixth St., sells antiques, collectibles, furniture and books. Randlin's second store, Randlin Bridges of Hope Store at the intersection of Bridge Street and First Avenue, sells upscale furniture, artwork and household items.
The stores are run predominately by Randlin residents themselves and a few volunteers, none of whom are paid.
About nine months ago, Desert Storm Navy veteran Brian Kitzman, 39, suffered through family problems while living in Stevens Point. Kitzman said he turned to alcohol to cope, was arrested for drunken driving and spent a couple of months in jail. Kitzman joined Randlin after a month-long stint in an alcohol abuse rehabilitation center and turned his life around.
Kitzman now drives a truck for Randlin's moving company and is working with another Randlin resident to open a transitional living facility for other residents who are battling job loss and homelessness.
"I'd probably be staggering around doing the same thing I did previously," Kitzman said, referring to what he might be doing without help from Randlin.
Scott Berger, Marathon County's veterans service officer, said he often refers homeless veterans to Randlin and would be disappointed if Randlin would have less space to house the homeless. The alternative to Randlin is The Salvation Army shelter, but that facility is often full, and the nearest Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs shelters are in King, Chippewa Falls and Fort McCoy, Berger said.
"Many times, people I come across that are homeless are reluctant to go away, especially if they are from this community," Berger said.
To avoid closing the doors to one of the homes, Randlin needs shoppers or cash donations, Schlitz said.
"Why go and buy somewhere else when you can buy from a nonprofit?" Schlitz said.
No comments:
Post a Comment