Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
The Monticello First Church of the Nazarene, located at 1590 N. Jefferson St., has announced that it will regretfully be closing its Community Resource Center. The Center, which has faithfully served the community with weekly giveaways for the past few years, will be open every Tuesday as usual from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and will open for the final time on Feb. 28. At this time, no more donations will be accepted.
The Community Resource Center has truly lived up to its name, providing anyone and everyone in the Monticello and surrounding communities with resources, furniture, housewares, clothing and more, regardless of income or frequency of need. Individuals were encouraged to take as much or as little as they needed, and donations have continued pouring in since the Center opened in 2020.
Samantha Wainright, who helps manage the Resource Center, says that the choice to close down this important community outreach comes as a result of a lack of volunteers to help manage the giveaways.
“We just don't have the workforce or the infrastructure to keep it running,” says Wainright. She says that after the center is closed, the space will then be leased out to another Christian organization. In the meantime, the Nazarene Church is actively seeking other organizations and churches in the area to “take the baton,” continuing where they have left off.
“This is a really important resource for the community,” says Wainright. “We see at least 50 to 100 people every week. People are always looking for an alternative to Goodwill, a good place to donate their items, where their things won't just be resold for a profit. This outreach has really made a difference in the community, and we'd really like to see someone else keep that going.”
Wainright says that the church still plans to keep their food-based donation program, The Blessings Box, where individuals can come and place non-perishable food items into a pantry that is open for anyone to come and take what they need.
If any organization, non-profit or local church is interested in taking on and continuing this community outreach, please contact Samantha Wainright at (850) 766-2772.
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