The grand opening for K&K Thrift Shop was on June 5 and drew Hinesville Mayor Jim Thomas and Liberty County Homeless Coalition President Herman Scott.
Scott, who is also pastor of Baconton Missionary Baptist Church, gave the invocation, praying for “the success of K&K Thrift Shop so that it’s mission to help the homeless in our community will be realized.”
Also in attendance were the founders of the Kirk Healing Center, Dr. Alicia Kirk, and Pastor Nancy Kornegay, Kirk Healing Center board members Gary Dodd and Andrew Smith, and many of the center’s friends of and volunteers.
Located at 4356 E. Oglethorpe Hwy., four miles east of Hinesville, the non-profit thrift store will channel proceeds to the center, which assists homeless people in our area. Modeled after other similar non-profit retailers, K&K Thrift Shop sells new and used, donated goods. They also donate some goods to clients of the Kirk Healing Center who are establishing households.
“The citizens of liberty county have been so generous to us,” Kirk said. “First and foremost, K&K Thrift Shop will provide a means of receiving and storing the many donations of household goods, clothes and more that we receive. The shop will provide job training and work experience to some of the participants in our program. And finally, with the continued support of our community, it will provide much needed revenue to support the Kirk Healing Center’s homes for men and women. Eventually, it may even help us to expand our program to help more of the disadvantaged and underserved people in our community.”
Kornegay has led a volunteer crew, with interior designer Angelina Kornegay, have resulted in a shop with sections for furniture and household goods, clothing and accessories, home décor, a children’s section, books and more.
“I am very excited about the possibilities of this establishment and what it can mean for increasing support for the homeless in our area,” Thomas said. “I’m glad to see it become a part of the growing Highway 84 business corridor.”
Kirk estimated it costs about $5 per day to keep one individual in a center home.  The center is assisting an average of 10 individuals a day.
“While the new thrift store is a key to eventually creating some finanacial stability, continued donations of cash, goods for the store and volunteers are essential for the success of the all-volunteer organization,” she said.
Visit the website at www.kirkhealingcenter.org to learn more. The shop is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Pick up of larger donations can be arranged by calling 877-7225.

Shearer is program coordinator for the Kirk Healing Center.