Dear Community,

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A year ago, Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund and our community faced the unprecedented onset of a pandemic, school closures, and anticipating a wildfire in our county.  MCCF partnered with Motel 6 in Fort Bragg and our community thrift stores to open a temporary free store at Motel 6. Our thrift store partners donated labor and shared  fixtures and clothing. Throughout the last year they have provided advice and helped us in immeasurable ways.

Our goal was to simultaneously help wildfire evacuees, children, and local families impacted by COVID.  We paid Mendocino Coast Mamas to recruit volunteers and to run the store.  We are grateful to everyone who stepped up to help this effort.  Now, it is time to close the Free Thrift Store as our community thrift stores are again open.

For the past year, Motel 6 has provided MCCF free space, utilities, insurance, and staff support.  The kindness and generosity of Motel 6 has been immeasurable, but it is time to give them their space back.  We are so grateful to them, and our thrift store partners.  

Our community was amazing too, emptying closets and drawers to make sure everyone had enough to get by. Grandmas brought us wonderful vintage items and children shared their toys and books. A lot of homes got neater, and a lot of needs got met. We all learned we had more, the more we helped others. It was a win-win for all of us.

At the one-year mark, we want to reassure you that our thrift store community is ready and able to once again assist you with your desire to share the items you no longer need.  Now that our thrift stores are operational again, we want to support them in what they do best.  

They have the necessary accessible space, staff, insurance, policies, and training in place.  Thrift stores require a lot of oversight and are labor intensive. Parents and Friends, Hospice, Mendocino Coast Humane Society, and Redwood Senior Center are all open and well run. Their missions are important. It is our policy to strengthen community assets.   Our duplicating efforts diminishes that.

Fortunately, MCCF is able  to once again provide gift certificates from our thrift store partners to families and children facing challenges. What you may not know is that our thrift partners have always helped MCCF families in need. We encourage you to make donations to these vital partners so they can help us support those most in need.  If you would like to earmark monetary donations to us for thrift store gift certificates, please write 'thrift gift' on your donation.

Be assured MCCF will continue to provide children and families with medical mileage, shoes, nutrition, diapers, sleeping bags, educational support, gas cards, utilities, and so much more. We continue to work with community partners to build a healthy community. Individuals will continue to be helped by MCCF, as they always have been, with the confidentiality and privacy they deserve.

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For 29 years, MCCF has responded to the needs of children and families in accountable and creative ways.  We are committed to strengthening our community and appreciate your support to do so.

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 With gratitude, the Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund Board,

Omie Berhns, Gary Brodetsky, Margaret Fox, Sasha Graham, Annie Liner,  Sherrie Spires &  Will White

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