National Scholastic Journalism Week highlights volunteer opportunities with this year’s theme, ‘Dedicated to Our Communities’. As voices of the FC student body, Feather staffers cover opportunities to volunteer around our community.

Many of this week’s featured locations have been supported by FC Serve Day in past years. This spotlight is dedicated towards service opportunities available at Neighborhood Thrift.

Located at the Tower District, this organization focuses serving the poorest areas of the Fresno community.

Neighborhood Thrift began in 2008, with the mission to operate a business that reveals value in people, introducing positive contributors into homes and neighborhoods.

The company aims to rejuvenate some of the poorest areas by investing in the development of its residents. To raise money for their cause, 66 cents of each dollar spent at Neighborhood Thrift goes directly into the run-down neighborhoods in Fresno.

Neighborhood Thrift presents over 30,00 pieces of clothing out on the floor at once, making the store over 13,000 square feet. Donations from the community allow the business to continue preparing individuals for job training and real-world work experience.

Neighborhood Thrift accepts the following items:

• Clothing
• Furniture
• Music and movies
• Household goods
• Electronics
• Shoes
• Toys
• Books

Neighborhood Thrift does not accept the following items:

• Damaged furniture
• Car seats
• Cribs
• Dirty mattresses

Their overall organization is called Neighborhood Industries and also offers another branch of serving the community called Neighborhood Recycling. Here, the goal, “zero waste with a positive environmental impact,” provides a way for companies to get rid of electronic or textile waste.

Another way to support without volunteering can be through donations. If you are interested in donating online, check out Donate to Neighborhood Thrift.

For more Feather photos, visit media, photos 2018-19.