Opportunity House operates OppShop, a second-hand thrift store in Reading, PA. In addition to earning funds for the emergency shelter at Opportunity House, the retail location also provides recycling services and quality goods at low prices for shoppers in the community.
Established in 1984, Opportunity House provides shelter for 500 homeless men, women, and children annually. The service includes:
- Three meals and a snack daily
- Provision of necessities for hygiene and living
- Access to laundry services
- Access to showers
- Available 24/7365
- Case management
- Supportive Services (ID acquisition; access to medical, mental health, and addiction treatment; job skills; educational support)
- Transitional and permanent housing
To meet the needs of our clients and the greater community, we also provide early childhood education via the Second Street Learning Center and a reuse/recycle program via the OppShop thrift store and recycling warehouse.
Shop Second-Hand with OppShop
When you shop at OppShop, the profits made support the mission of Opportunity House, but you also gain great bargains, quality merchandise, and a lower carbon footprint. You’ll find OppShop on 5th Street Highway in Reading.
The goods you can find at OppShop vary by category but not in quality. Recognizing that unsold goods require resources to handle, we strive to offer high-quality second-hand goods that will be sure to benefit community members. We stock clean, unstained, untorn, and unbroken items in working condition.
In addition to supporting the work of Opportunity House, we also make our inventory available to the shelter’s residents so that they can most appropriately fulfill their needs.
OppShop inventory categories include:
- Clothing and shoes for the entire family
- CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray disks in original cases
- Kitchen utensils, cutlery, cookware, and dishware
- Holiday and seasonal decor
- Furniture
- Jewelry, accessories, bags, and purses
- Flatscreen TVs
- Toys
- Books
Other items can’t be sold in our retail thrift store, so we don’t accept them as donations:
- Chemicals
- Older model TVs, copy machines, computer monitors, and stereo systems
- Building supplies and carpets
- Tires
- Infant/toddler furniture pieces
The OppShop inventory that doesn’t sell won’t end up in landfills. We work with professional recyclers nationwide to recycle about 700,000 pounds of merchandise annually.
Interested in donating to OppShop?
As you clean up your garage or closet, do good with your unwanted goods by donating them to OppShop.
We accept donations at a drop-off point behind the store where our staff can help you unload your vehicle, at numerous drop-off bins in the area, and via scheduled pickup for bulky items. The bins’ openings are only large enough for a grocery-sized plastic bag; full-size trash bags don’t fit. Please limit your donations in these bins to clothing, books, CDs, DVDs, and shoes, and be sure to leave the area around the containers clean.
When you call for a furniture pickup, the staff that arrives at the scheduled time will have decision-making power regarding suitability for donation. You may call ahead or send a picture to verify that we can accept your generous donation.
If you’re looking for household goods, clothing, movies, music, and more, consider buying second-hand at OppShop, a retail thrift store in Reading, PA. In addition to excellent products and prices, you’ll benefit the homeless population, the greater community, and the environment. Learn more about the impact of your support to Opportunity House by clicking here.
