Exterior construction has finished at Carrboro’s PTA Thrift Shop — but the nonprofit still has a long way to go to meet its million dollar fundraising goal.
The thrift shop, which raises money for the Parent Teacher Associations at public schools in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, celebrated progress in the reconstruction of its new location in Carrboro.
Exterior construction on the building is complete and thrift shop employees are working on minor tweaks to the building and preparing to make it into a venue more suited for shopping than the old location.
“The next step is to stock it with merchandise and get ready for the grand opening,” said Barbara Jesse-Black, the shop’s executive director.
The grand re-opening will be on Dec. 2.
The event was held inside the redeveloped building, giving the 75 people in attendance a chance to see the organization’s progress first-hand.
‘A tangible look’
“We were so excited to host this event,” said Dana Trent of Organizational Solutions Inc., the contracted fundraising project manager for the thrift shop.
“It gave folks a tangible look at the building. They could see their money at work.”
Jesse-Black said the new building and money from fundraising will help the thrift shop be more efficient and process more donations.
Trent said the thrift shop has raised $440,000 so far.
“We are about halfway to our fundraising goal. We have had tons of support from the community,” said Dawn Ruston, the shop’s community building campaign co-chair.
“We would love to get more people to understand the impact the thrift shop has had for 61, going on 62 years now.”
Starting from zero
Ruston said it is crucial the thrift shop reaches its $1 million fundraising goal. The campaign is the first time the thrift shop has looked to the community for money.
“In order to get back to their mission of really funding the local PTAs and community, they need to not have the debt hanging over their heads,” she said.
Gillian Hare, the shop’s other community building campaign co-chair, said fundraising has been harder than she thought it would be because the shop is used to donating rather than asking for donations.
“Because we have never fundraised before as an organization, we don’t have those people who are always on the list and always give to us,” she said.
“We had to start from absolutely zero — from nothing.”
Hare said the thrift shop is still raising money intensely, despite finishing construction.
“The sooner we reach the goal the sooner the PTA thrift shop can get back to the business it has always been doing, which is giving back to the community.”
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