PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Catholic Charities’ Threads of Hope Presque Isle store is settling into its new location on State Street after moving from across town in mid-October.
“It’s going well,” Jill Hotham, manager of the Presque Isle store, said of the new space at 56 State Street,
“It’s bright and airy. It’s a little smaller, but it’s better. It’s a lot easier to work with.”
Catholic Charities runs three stores in Aroostook County, with two outlet stores in Caribou and Monticello and the retail thrift store in Presque Isle.
The two outlets are open a few times a month. During the winter, Monticello is open during the first Friday and Saturday of each month and Caribou during the second and fourth Friday and Saturday of each month. The Presque Isle store is Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The new Presque Isle store replaces the thrift store’s space on Davis Street. The State Street location is rented from Isaac Nelson of Aroostook Trusses and was previously vacant.
“This is how we feed people,” said Dixie Shaw, director of Catholic Charities Hunger and Relief Services. “We operate our stores not because we want to offer another service. Our mission is feeding the hungry. This is our opportunity to raise funds locally to feed people locally.”
Three part-time employees and one full-time staffer work at the Presque Isle store, in addition to volunteers, Hotham said.
“We can always use more volunteers,” Hotham said. “There’s a lot to do getting the donations out to the floor.”
Catholic Charities also operates a clothing and shoe recycling program for attire that isn’t able to be sold for reuse. “Clothes that we don’t put on the floor. We recycle them in Monticello. They are baled up and sold.”
