Thrift was no accident. Many refugees come to the country with little more than papers. Thrift’s low costs allow people, no matter where they come from, to have the dignity of providing for themselves and their families and knowing that they are part of a community. There was also a need for a thrift store as resettlement was booming and there was only one other thrift store in the area. Finally, thrift stores bring others together by functioning through donations, volunteers, and shoppers. And so, our mission drove us to choose thrift as a space where community could be uplifted, supported, and dignified by every person.