Jacksonville church opens free thrift store-style community ‘Storehouse’

New Life Christian Fellowship’s new store to be open by appointment for community members in need

New Life Christian Fellowship on Hodges Boulevard has opened a new thrift store-style community store that allows shopping by appointment only. (Courtesy of New Life Christian Fellowship)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – New Life Christian Fellowship on Hodges Boulevard celebrated the completion of a project it hopes will have a positive impact on the Jacksonville community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday.

“The Storehouse” officially opened its doors Sunday for community members in need.

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The thrift store-style building will provide clothing, furniture and household goods at no cost. Shopping is by appointment only.

The Storehouse features donated clothing, accessories, furniture and more. (Courtesy of New Life Christian Fellowship)

Shoppers will be able to set an appointment and then take what they need from the store with assistance from volunteers.

Visitors can also donate gently used clothes, toys and other household goods.

The idea for The Storehouse began in 2011 with the non-denominational church’s community-wide clothing sale that grew into an annual tradition of the congregation collecting clothing, shoes and even school supplies and hosting events for thousands of people in neighboring communities.

In 2017, when Pastor Rachel Self was given multiple opportunities to provide congregation members with gently used furniture (couches, beds, chairs, etc.) she had the idea to shift into a more permanent way to provide for those in need.

“After making so many deliveries to families that have only a lawn chair in the home or the entire family is sleeping on the floor, you know the need is real," Self said. “We found the needs were great, and as a church, we could meet those needs. It would just require some good old-fashioned work and a space to do that work. We know The Storehouse is going to make things just a little bit easier for so many.”

The Storehouse features donated clothing, accessories, furniture and more. (Courtesy of New Life Christian Fellowship)

The full hours of operation and information about the mission of The Storehouse can be found at New Life’s website, www.nlcf.org/storehouse.

Community members can also donate to the storehouse. They are currently accepting:

  • Clothing (men’s, women’s, and children’s), shoes, jewelry, furniture, toys, and other household items. (Clothing and shoes must be clean and free of rips, holes, or large stains.)
  • Furniture must be in good condition and free of rips, damage or stains.
  • Toys and other household items (appliances, electronics, decor, etc.) must be clean and in working condition.

For information on when, where and how to donate, go to www.nlcf.org/storehouse.


About the Author:

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.