Acme Christian Thrift Store & Food celebrates
20 years of community service
ACTS provides those in need with many critical items. Photo by KLW
Acme Christian Thrift Store & Food will host an open house in celebration of 20 years in service to the community on September 24 from 3 to 5 p.m. There will be a special sale, pantry tours and refreshments. The public is invited and welcome.
Acme Christian Thrift Store & Food Pantry (ACTS) was incorporated as a Michigan non-profit corporation on May 7, 2002 to fill a critical need among the working poor, single parents, transient and other disadvantaged people who live in Antrim, Grand Traverse and Kalkaska counties, by providing thrift store-donated merchandise at reasonable prices and by operating a food pantry. ACTS is staffed by mostly volunteers. Assistance to the poor, hungry, and homeless is given as it is possible.
ACTS began in a closet at Feast of Victory Church in Acme, and was later expanded to a store front, using half of a 4,000 square foot building at 5700 US 31, but was then forced to move to a smaller store front at 5782 US 31 in Acme, due to lack of funds for rent. As thrift store sales increased, so did service to those in need of services by the food pantry. Soon the organization was in need of a larger space, and in May of 2012, with assistance from Elk Rapids Rotary, Elk Rapids Lions, a FOCUS Fund grant from the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, several churches and individuals, a 6,960 square feet building was purchased at 8925 M72 E in Williamsburg.
During the summer of 2012, many volunteers spent over 2,000 hours working to get the building ready for operation of the thrift store and food pantry. On September 30, 2012, the doors were closed at the Acme location and all the merchandise was moved by an army of volunteers to ACTS’ new permanent home.
Even though it first seemed that there would be enough space for years to come, by 2018, the need for more room was evident. At that time, the courtyard was enclosed to add 1800 square feet to the building and additionally increasing the mortgage.
During the years from 2012 through 2022, a mortgage payment has been made each month from the sales of the thrift store and generous financial donations from the community. A campaign to pay off the remainder of the mortgage is currently in progress and well on the way to be achieved. A 20-year celebration is planned for September 24 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The ACTS board is very thankful for the community support that ACTS has received over the past 20 years and is grateful to be able to “Help our Neighbors in Need.”
“We are also blessed to have a dedicated army of volunteers. Without the volunteers we would not be able to be successful.”
Acme Christian Thrift Store & Food Pantry (ACTS) was incorporated as a Michigan non-profit corporation on May 7, 2002 to fill a critical need among the working poor, single parents, transient and other disadvantaged people who live in Antrim, Grand Traverse and Kalkaska counties, by providing thrift store-donated merchandise at reasonable prices and by operating a food pantry. ACTS is staffed by mostly volunteers. Assistance to the poor, hungry, and homeless is given as it is possible.
ACTS began in a closet at Feast of Victory Church in Acme, and was later expanded to a store front, using half of a 4,000 square foot building at 5700 US 31, but was then forced to move to a smaller store front at 5782 US 31 in Acme, due to lack of funds for rent. As thrift store sales increased, so did service to those in need of services by the food pantry. Soon the organization was in need of a larger space, and in May of 2012, with assistance from Elk Rapids Rotary, Elk Rapids Lions, a FOCUS Fund grant from the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, several churches and individuals, a 6,960 square feet building was purchased at 8925 M72 E in Williamsburg.
During the summer of 2012, many volunteers spent over 2,000 hours working to get the building ready for operation of the thrift store and food pantry. On September 30, 2012, the doors were closed at the Acme location and all the merchandise was moved by an army of volunteers to ACTS’ new permanent home.
Even though it first seemed that there would be enough space for years to come, by 2018, the need for more room was evident. At that time, the courtyard was enclosed to add 1800 square feet to the building and additionally increasing the mortgage.
During the years from 2012 through 2022, a mortgage payment has been made each month from the sales of the thrift store and generous financial donations from the community. A campaign to pay off the remainder of the mortgage is currently in progress and well on the way to be achieved. A 20-year celebration is planned for September 24 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The ACTS board is very thankful for the community support that ACTS has received over the past 20 years and is grateful to be able to “Help our Neighbors in Need.”
“We are also blessed to have a dedicated army of volunteers. Without the volunteers we would not be able to be successful.”
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