MAAC has distributed about $20K to community since May this year
Photo by Ginny Kropf: The MAAC Thrift Depot is located at 536 Orient St. Volunteers and donations are always needed.
MEDINA – The Medina Area Association of Churches, which runs a thrift store at 536 Orient St., has distributed about $20,000 to the community since May this year.
Sue Metzo, one of the leaders of the MAAC Thrift Depot, provided an update on the donations given by MAAC recently.
The Thrift Depot is run by volunteers, who organize and sell donated items from the community.
MAAC has used some of the thrift store proceeds to donate $10,000 to Community Action of Orleans to assist residents in the Medina area; $5,000 to Growing Orchard Backpack Food Program to supply food for weekends for children in need; $1,500 to His Healing Presence Veterans’ Christmas Program; $500 to each of two families who had fires during the summer; $500 to the Parade of Lights; and $250 for United Way of Orleans County’s gala fundraiser.
In addition MAAC annually gives a $1,000 scholarship to a student at Medina High School, the Orleans Christian School, or a student going into the military or a trade school.
The thrift store is open from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday evenings from April through October.
In 2020, during the pandemic, MAAC gave out $20,760. In 2021, donations to various organizations and causes totaled $41,703.
At the October meeting, MAAC leaders approved gifts to help with the increased price of shipping Christmas shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child, $750 for BOCES GED program and $1,000 for the veterans’ dinner sponsored by the National Honor Society at Medina High School.
Metzo said it is the generous donations of merchandise from the community and the dedication of their volunteers who make it work.
They accept donations of clean clothing and footwear, outerwear, small household items (including small appliances), linens and bedding, holiday items and games, toys, puzzles, books, CDs and DVDs.
MAAC is made up of representatives from all the Medina area churches, including Alabama Full Gospel Church, Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God, Faith Bible Baptist Church, Faith Covenant Fellowship Church, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Gateway to Heaven Church, Glad Tidings Baptist Church, the Grove United Methodist Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, New Life Alliance Church, Oak Orchard Assembly of God, OneChurch, St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Trinity Lutheran Church and United Methodist Church of the Abundant Harvest.
