THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 42, NO. 12 | OCTOBER 23, 2020
PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Sheila Gomez sorts through a clothing rack at TurnStyles Thrift store in Mission. Spending two days a week volunteering at the store gives her a chance to stay active and positive despite the pandemic.
LEAN ON ME
Volunteers are lifeblood of Catholic Charities — especially during pandemic By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
How to help
M
ISSION — They are simple tasks. Inspect clothing donations. Organize the store. Help customers
check out. But the work of three volunteers at Catholic Charities’ TurnStyles Thrift store in Mission makes a big difference to the community. “To me, it’s satisfying that I can come in and do a little bit of volunteer work and feel like I’ve contributed to Catholic Charities and am helping the less fortunate in the community,” said Joe Gomez. “It gives me a purpose,” he added. Joe volunteers at TurnStyles twice a week with his wife Sheila and their friend Judy Gerling. The Gomezes belong to Sacred Heart Parish, and Gerling attends St. Joseph Parish, both in Shawnee. Their willingness to continue volunteering and even pick up an extra shift despite the pandemic is a welcomed gift for Catholic Charities.
If you are interested in learning more about TurnStyles or volunteering at one of its stores, visit the website at: catholiccharitiesks.org/turnstyles. To learn about other volunteer opportunities through Catholic Charities, visit the website at: catholiccharitiesks. org/volunteer.
PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Joe Gomez inspects a T-shirt in the back of TurnStyles Thrift store in Mission before sorting it into its correct basket. At 82 years old, he continues volunteering at TurnStyles twice a week to help the store serve the community amid the pandemic. The organization typically relies on 475 volunteers each month to help at its three TurnStyles stores, which provide donated goods to customers seeking affordable clothing, household
products and more. But the stores closed for a few months earlier this year due to the pandemic, and only 175 volunteers have returned since they reopened.
“Volunteers are essential in keeping our thrift stores up and running,” said Cari Olberding, volunteer coordinator at Catholic Charities. “We have ensured new safety measures to help keep our volunteers, customers and staff safe, such as wearing masks, cleaning carts and the stores, and installing a Plexiglass barrier at the cash register,” she said. But its shortage of volunteers isn’t the only challenge TurnStyles has faced. According to Carol Cowdrey, senior director of marketing and media relations at Catholic Charities, in fiscal year >> See “IT’S” on page 4