It’s Finally Time for Some Spring Cleaning!

For a time it seemed like winter would never end! But those April showers helped to bring May flowers and some warmer weather. It’s always such a joy to watch the earth come back to life and to hear all the birds singing and enjoying the warmer temperatures.

And with the arrival of spring comes the annual tradition: spring cleaning. As you start to go through your house, room by room, getting rid of unnecessary items, please keep DSC_0805us in mind! With two Thrift Stores (Hagerstown & Chambersburg), we always welcome your gently used clothing, shoes, furniture, jewelry, housewares, and more. Sales generated in our Thrift Stores help to underwrite the cost of all of our programs and services so that we can continue to provide for our neighbors in need at no cost to them or the taxpayer.

If you are interested in donating various items to The Hope Center, here is some info you should know:

Furniture – accepted at the rear of the Thrift Store (central parking lot off of Church St) from 9AM – 4:30PM Monday – Saturday. Please do not leave items on the dock unattended, especially after business hours.

Furniture Items Accepted– beds (frames, headboards, footboards, mattresses* & box springs), couches, upholstered* chairs, dining tables and chairs, small tables (end tables & coffee tables), desks and chairs and dressers. We also accept rugs, bicycles, exercise equipment, wheelchairs and other handicap equipment.
*We cannot accept mattresses or upholstered furniture that is torn, stained or covered in pet hair.

DSC_0888Clothing & Miscellaneous – items accepted at the rear of the parking lot Monday – Saturday from approximately 8:30AM – 4:30PM (between 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM there is no assistance to unload vehicle. You may still drop off items but if you require assistance please come before or after.) Please do not leave items unattended on the dock after business hours.

Items NOT Accepted– wet/soiled clothing, computers, floor model televisions (we do take flat screen TV’s as long as they work), floor model stereos, office telephones (multiple line phones) refrigerators and freezers, washers and dryers, dishwashers, stoves, sinks and toilets, large wooden or metal desks (office), upright pianos, large organs, cribs & car seats (due to government regulations for resale), waterbed mattresses or frames and used ceiling/electric fixtures.

We accept corrugated cardboard at our Baling Facility Monday – Friday from 8:30AM – 11:30AM and 12:30 PM-1:30PM and on Saturday from 8:30AM – 11:30AM.

If you have items to donate that are not listed or you have questions about certain items, please call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net. We do have a truck that can pick-up your items. Each day our truck covers a specific area of town. If you’d like to schedule a pick-up, please call 301.739.1165 to get more details. You can quickly learn more about donating your gently used items here: https://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com/in-kind-gifts

Also, you can get a receipt for tax purposes by making a list of items donated. Please remember to put your name & address on the list!! Your list can be turned in at the Thrift Store or you can get a form to fill out in the Thrift Store. You will receive your tax-deductible receipt by mail in two to three weeks.

Thank you so much for your generous donations to The Hope Center! These items will help families and individuals in your community in many different ways. Go to http://www.hagerstownhopecenter.com to learn more about all the various programs and services we provide to people in need in our area.

The Good Shepherd Ministries: Joining the Fight Against Hunger

We’d like to say a big “thank you” to the awesome people from The Good Shepherd Ministries in Hagerstown!

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Recently, The Good Shepherd Ministries hosted a church-wide food drive to benefit The Hope Center.

Andrea Reaves, wife of Assistant Pastor Brad, and grand-daughter of The Hope Center founders Jim & Ellen Resh, organized the food drive for the church.

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The church provided approximately 460 pounds of non-perishable food for our food ministry! We are so thankful for their generous donation to help feed the needy in Hagerstown.

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Our food program is one of the most vital parts of our entire ministry for our guests. From food bags to multiple free meals throughout the day, our kitchen and pantry is always busy, and sometimes short on necessary items.

Food drives, like the one hosted by The Good Shepherd Ministries, are an important resource for our ministry. When you feed hundreds of people a week while also providing families with bags of groceries to supplement their own pantries, you can go through a lot of food. Food drives ensure that our pantry is always stocked and ready to meet the needs of our community.

Since everything we do at The Hope Center is free, and free from any tax money, we rely heavily on the generous support from churches, individuals, civic clubs, Scout programs and more to help keep our facility open, operational and free for anyone who is in need.

Thank you again to The Good Shepherd Ministries for partnering with us to help combat hunger in Hagerstown. If you’re currently looking for a church to attend, visit The Good Shepherd Ministries. For more info about this great body of Believers, go to http://www.mytgsm.com.

If you would like to host a food drive to benefit The Hope Center but just aren’t quite sure how to do so, contact us and we’ll gladly help you out. Call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

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And don’t forget that in April our 2nd Annual Rock the Run: A Race for Hope is taking place at Fairgrounds Park. On Saturday April 23rd, join fellow runners, joggers & walkers as we hit the streets to raise support and awareness for homelessness and hunger in Hagerstown. It’s a simple and fun way to make a difference in the community and help neighbors in need. Go to http://www.rocktherunhagerstown.com to learn more.

Wildside Winter Olympics

Each month Wildside Youth hosts a large, free party for any kids in the greater Hagerstown area between the ages of 5 & 12.

On Tuesday, January 22, the Trinity Center at The Hope Center came alive with the flurry of activity from Wildside’s Winter Olympics party!

This yearly event is a highlight of the winter for the kids who come. This year, over 50 kids braved the freezing temperatures to enjoy a night celebrating the winter games!

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The kids enjoyed some free time followed by a massive “snowball fight”. The snowballs were balloons and the object of the game is to get as many snowballs onto the opposing teams side of the room. The snowball fight was a battle between the boys & girls and the girls came out as the Olympic victors!

In addition to the snowball fight activity, the kids were able to enjoy some winter themed carnival games. The games included Olympic Ring Toss, Olympic Torch Relay, Snowflake Matching (a wintery twist on Old Maid) and Make a Goal, a hockey inspired game. The kids were able to win prizes at each event.

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Along with all the winter themed activities, the kids were also able enjoy other regular Wildside activities like the Marketplace, the Hollywood & Hawaiian game rooms and an area dedicated to art projects.

Following the game times, the kids came together to learn about one of the Wildside Core Values. In the fall the kids learned about respect. The lesson of the night focused on Proverbs 14:2 and the ‘Parable of the Sower’. The kids learned they should always do their best to live a life that shows respect for the Lord. At the end of the lesson three kids came forward during the altar call!

At the end of the lesson the kids were served a delicious dinner of fish sticks, green beans, rolls, cupcakes & more! Prizes were also distributed to lucky Olympians!

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All this fun is provided free of charge for kids ages 5-12. If you know of kids who would definitely love these types of action-packed events then please check out www.wildsideyouth.com for more info or call 301.739.1165.

Also, if you’re interested in volunteering at The Hope Center, including with Wildside, please call 301.739.1165 or email hagerstownrescue@verizon.net.

Even though Wildside only has large themed parties like this once a month, the Wildside fun continues every Sunday evening at Sunday Night Wild. Sunday Night Wild is a free activity for kids from 7-8pm. They sing, play games, learn about Jesus and eat some great snacks! This is a great event to invite unchurched kids or to supplement the Christian education that churched kids are already receiving. Go to www.wildsideyouth.com to learn more about Sunday Night Wild.