Fort Polk Thrift Shop funds grants, helps local community

Photo By Christy Graham | Fort Polk Thrift Shop patrons search through the Women's Apparel section.  

FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, UNITED STATES

09.12.2022

Story by Christy Graham 

Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office

FORT POLK, La. — Many are aware of the Fort Polk Thrift Shop and its trove of “treasures,” but some may be unaware of how the Thrift Shop impacts the community.
“We are a nonprofit, so everything we make each month over the operating costs goes into our welfare fund. We give those funds in the form of community grants,” said Samantha Rowlands, Thrift Shop manager.
The Thrift Shop’s welfare fund has awarded grants to fund scholarships, local school programming upgrades and several local sports teams and booster clubs.
Organizations or schools interested in applying for the Thrift Shop’s grants can pick up an application in the store, or they can email [e-mail].
Another way the Fort Polk Thrift Shop affects the community is through a volunteer program.
Some of the Thrift Shop workers are Soldiers or Family members that have decided to give back through volunteering, and their time spent at the shop can be logged via the Volunteer Management Information System. Volunteers that log their hours via VMIS can then be recognized at the installation’s Volunteer of the Quarter ceremony.
Beyond the contributions to the local community, Rowlands said that the Thrift Shop houses surprising items most people wouldn’t imagine.
“We’ve had an antique movie projector, unboxed collectible Pez dispensers, brand new electronics and even car parts, which most people wouldn’t expect,” Rowlands said.
Rowlands said all items are checked, tested and cleaned before being displayed in the Thrift Shop, so if a computer comes in, someone will hook it up and test it before it is sold.
The Thrift Shop also offers the Fort Polk community an affordable way to provide for their Families. After one transaction, Rowlands said a customer left a comment noting how the Thrift Shop’s items and prices allowed her to buy all the things her kids needed, which she otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.
Kaila Benjamin, military spouse, said her shopping experience at the Thrift Shop has always been great.
“There’s always something new here, or there’s always something unexpected here that you didn’t realize you needed,” Benjamin said.
Regular sales are also held on a weekly and monthly basis at the shop. Wednesdays are “book-sale days,” where customers can purchase books for 10 cents each. Other sales are dependent on what items the shop has in excess.
“If we have a lot of baby items, then we’ll try and put that category on sale and offer things for half the tagged price,” Rowlands said.
There’s also a sale on the first Saturday of each month, which is the only Saturday the Thrift Shop is open.
“We always do a big sale on the first Saturday for the simple fact that we’re only open that one Saturday. We really want to give back to our customers. Most regulars know to look for a big sale at the beginning of each month, but we also post it on our Facebook page as well,” Rowlands said.
Perhaps the least known fact about the Fort Polk Thrift Shop is customers do not need a military or dependent ID card to shop.
“Some people don’t realize that they can just get a pass at the visitor’s center to come on post and shop at the Thrift Store,” Rowlands said, “but we’re open to everybody.”
The Fort Polk Thrift Shop, located at 830 Colorado Ave., Fort Polk, is open Tuesday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and on the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. - noon.

• Date Taken: 09.12.2022
• Date Posted: 09.13.2022 13:32
• Story ID: 429210
• Location: FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US