BEAUFORT — Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charleston will open a new thrift store in Beaufort to support the Office of Prison Ministry.
The store will be named Project Dismas Thrift Store, named after the ‘good thief’ who begged Jesus to forgive him as he hung on the cross, according to Deacon Jim Hyland, who will run the facility.
The thrift store will officially open March 15. It is located at 251 Robert Smalls Parkway and the hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The proceeds will support the work of prison ministry throughout the diocese, but are also intended to assist children whose parents are incarcerated.
According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections Web site, the department currently has almost 23,000 inmates and operates 28 institutions.
“These children, having done nothing wrong themselves, but will nevertheless be negatively impacted by their parent’s actions,” according to a press release sent out by Catholic Charities. “Their lives will become even more financially tenuous, family life more unstable and they are apt to wind up in foster care. Without the presence of positive role models in their lives, their future is likely to be rather bleak.”
Another group of children who will benefit are those whose parents were the victims of crime. The support is viewed as a way to interrupt the cycle of crime in communities.
In order to operate the thrift store, Catholic Charities representatives are seeking community support, especially from the Catholic community.
Donations of men’s, women’s and children’s gently used clothing in good condition are welcome. People also may donate furniture, household furnishings, china, rugs, crystal, books, jewelry and just about anything else that can be found in a well-stocked thrift store, according to the Catholic Charities press release.
For the sake of safety, Project Dismas Thrift Store will not accept items such as cribs, child car seats, and appliances with heating elements such as irons and toasters.
To donate items, contact Deacon Jim Hyland at (843) 812-3078 or (843) 379-5330.