One year of good work so far, more to come at Home Hospice thrift store
Jun. 8—At the Treehouse Resale Store is officially a year old, so volunteers threw a birthday over the weekend.
The store funds Home Hospice of Cooke, Grayson and Fannin counties, which provides medical care and comfort for terminally ill patients, ensuring the best possible quality of life the volunteers and medical staff can provide.
"We needed something to cover the cost of the patients because we never send a bill to the patients," said Tamera Whitlow, the community director. "We are the only nonprofit home hospice in the county, so we had to come up with another income to help us subsidize that."
While funding Home Hospice is At the Treehouse's primary mission, the volunteers do what they can to serve the community in as many other ways as they can.
"All the medical equipment we get, we donate back to the community if they come here and they need a wheelchair or if they need a walker or a hospital bed; we give it to them free as long as they bring it back or pay it forward. We have a program called We Honor Vets program; We have veterans that we help get started again, or they need help and they'll come in and shop. Or people that their houses have burned down, we let them come in here and get their household bank up to par," explained Whitlow. "Whatever we can do for the community if you have somebody in trouble or something like that, and we recommend that they just come here."
At the Treehouse also works with other organizations and groups to help people in the community who have fallen on hard times get back on their feet.
"Abigail's Arms uses us to help the women get back on their start," said Whitlow. "We also work with the [Texoma] Workforce next door, and we give [their clients] four outfits so that they can go for job interviews or they can get a job and get started."
"We want to make a difference in our community, and that's why we're here," said Whitlow. "We're always volunteer based;the volunteers are here that give their service to help us do this, and then we just give back to the community in that way: that's what we're here for."
Donated items have come in regularly, bringing both expected and unexpected items.
"We accept everything except undergarments and mattresses. Of course we get a lot of clothes and donations. We're trying to keep them reasonable where everybody can get new outfits without breaking the bank," said Whitlow. "Somebody remodeled their kitchen and they give us all their cabinets. I gotta kiln another day to cook ceramics. Just, every day there is something new."
While surprising items have come through the door, the greatest surprise has been the community reaction to At the Treehouse's opening year.
"We didn't expect what has happened because Gainesville has been very good to us; we thought we should start off with like 2500 square feet, but now we have 14,000 square feet," said Whitlow. "People just keep donating, they want us to have more and more and more so it's really blossomed. You know, probably God's hand is in that one."
At the Treehouse is located at 1311 N. Grand Ave. Suite 100, behind the Sonic Drive-In. The store is open on Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
