Society of St. Vincent de Paul to expand thrift store in Perryville, Mo.

PERRYVILLE, Mo. (KFVS) - A Heartland non-profit is expanding its services to help more people in need.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul runs a thrift store in Perryville, Missouri and proceeds go towards helping community members.

Plans are underway to build a new storefront that is double the size.

“This little thrift store has been fantastic for the last 20 years,” said organization president Andy Graf.

Graf says a new, bigger store will allow the non-profit to offer financial support to more people in need.

“The demand for help has increased about 15 percent a year over the last three years, so we are trying to be proactive--we need a larger space,” Graf said.

Mike Blair volunteers at the thrift shop.

“It is going to be great I think, a lot more room for everything we need,” Blair said.

The new shop will be added on to the non-profit’s warehouse and office.

“We are trying to put everything onto one campus to where if someone is on hard times and they want to ask for help, it’s on that campus,” Graf said. “If you want to shop at a very reasonably priced place, it is all one level. It’ll be handicap accessible, which this is not.”

Graf says they are funding the expansion through a combination of grants and individual donations.

“All of our funds generated at the store go to helping people so how do we do an expansion?” Graf asked. “We can’t use the money from the thrift store, so we’re asking for capital from Perry County and Missouri to fund the operation.”

And he is optimistic people will be willing to help.

“Because of our reputation within the community and the good that we do, we are very hopeful that the community will get behind us and help us,” Graf said.

For more information or to donate, visit the thrift shop on 123 W. North Street or give them a call at (573) 547-3975.

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