Charities need funds to operate, and thrift shops often provide one of the fundraising avenues. Opportunity House, a leading charity for the homeless population in Pennsylvania, has a thrift store in Reading, PA, called OppShop. We invite you to donate and shop with us to bless others and reap the savings!
Introduction to Opportunity House
Since 1984, Opportunity House has provided emergency overnight shelter for men, women, and children. Since then, we’ve identified other needs for vulnerable families in our community. Our supportive housing program gives formerly homeless clients a place to call home. With ongoing support, we can help clients remain stably housed and avoid homelessness in the future.
Our Second Street Learning Center provides quality early childhood education for children from 6 weeks to 13 years old. It allows parents to work, and gives children access to high-quality early childhood education, promoting long-term success and decreasing the potential for homelessness.
The centerpiece of our Reuse Recycle program is OppShop, our retail thrift store in Reading, PA. The Reuse Recycle program collects used items, including clothing, furniture, books, and seasonal merchandise, and resells them at OppShop. We recycle anything that is not sold in our retail thrift store.
OppShop Opportunities
Opportunity House’s OppShop is a high-end thrift store and recycling program designed to help fund our mission.
Donating to OppShop
Donating items to OppShop is easy. OppShop accepts donations at the rear of the store Tuesdays through Saturdays (10 am – 6 pm). Look for our bins in your neighborhood. We’ve got multiple drop-off bins throughout Berks County.
What types of donations do we accept at OppShop?
We select items that will sell quickly at OppShop. These include gently worn clothing, gently used furniture, and items in good condition. Stains, tears, pet hair, broken pieces, or damaged goods are unsaleable. We welcome donations of furniture that is in good condition and appeals to current tastes.
Will OppShop accept my donation?
In most cases, yes. All furniture donations are staff approved, so if you have a question, send a photo, and we’ll let you know if we’ll take it. In general, we prefer solid-color sofas and sectionals. Wood-trimmed furniture, plaid, and bold florals are generally not accepted. Anything we can’t sell or recycle is waste that we have to pay to remove, and it takes vital resources from our mission.
Acceptable Donation Items:
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing
- Media (CDs, DVDs, and VHS)
- Kitchen utensils and cutlery
- Dishware and cookware
- Holiday items
- Furniture
- Jewelry
- Flat-screen televisions
- Purses and bags
- Shoes
- Toys
Unacceptable Donation Items:
- Chemicals
- Older model console televisions and stereos
- Copy machines
- Building supplies
- Infant and toddler furniture
- Computer monitors
- Office chairs with four or fewer wheels
- Carpets
- Tires
If you question the acceptability of a donation, simply pick up the phone and call before bringing it by.
Shopping at OppShop
OppShoppers provide Opportunity House with funds to continue helping the homeless, but there are also many other benefits.
Environmental Responsibility
Every time you recycle and reuse clothing, shoes, and other goods from thrift shops, you’re giving a new home to items that would have otherwise gone to fill up and pollute our landfills. This helps prevent water and energy waste and the release of pesticides. Things we don’t sell at OppShop are recycled, and all proceeds benefit Opportunity House.
Fiscal Responsibility
When money gets tight, consider thrift shopping. Instead of paying more at the department store, you can get popular brand-name items for much less at the thrift shop and save a lot of money. Whether you need to replace broken furniture or buy a gift for a friend’s birthday, shop with us at OppShop instead of buying something new.
Thrilling Finds
Like a treasure hunt, thrifting can be an exciting experience when you find the perfect item at a ridiculously low price. Whether you’re looking for designer labels, Halloween costumes, or an interesting do-it-yourself project, the hunt is part of the fun.
Choosing to donate or shop at OppShop, a premier thrift store in Reading, PA, that’s driven by a mission to help others, is a great way to make a difference in your community.
