Listen To Shafter is working with a team of local residents to support their efforts to establish a new thrift store in town, in partnership with the Mennonite Central Committee which has decades of experience operating such thrift stores across the country and has developed a suite of best practices to help communities open new stores. The team is busy working on developing its business plan and fundraising strategy and is moving forward with the search for a potential storefront location in the downtown corridor, along Central Valley Hwy, or on Lerdo Highway between the railroad tracks and “five points” intersection. If you are interested in this project and have ideas or experience that could be of assistance, please reach out. Given that most downtown businesses in Shafter don’t have central air conditioning, there will likely be an opportunity to help with that as well. Finally, there will be a need for assistance with the fundraising campaign in the form of event hosts and experienced planners. We are excited to see a local option for residents to donate quality unwanted items and to find good deals on the same in a way that benefits both local and worldwide community development programs. Consider lending a hand to get this off the ground!