Church Women United Thrift Store Expansion in 2026!

April 19-25, 2026: National Volunteer Week

Highlighting Chamber Member: Church Women United Thrift Store located at 1703 Harris Avenue, Trenton, MO

Information provided by: Connie Hoffman

 History of CWU Thrift Store

Church Women United in Grundy County was organized on May 23, 1972.  Meetings had been held as early as October 27, 1971, to make plans for the organization.

Under the guidance of Dru Evans and Vera Cross, CWU opened the Thrift Shop on May 17, 1974.  We will be celebrating 52 years in 2026.  The shop was originally located in a building at the northwest corner of Main Street and Crowder Road.  Volunteers representing churches in Trenton and Grundy County operate the shop, which provides all types of clothing as well as other items at a nominal cost.  The shop originally was open from noon to 4 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, which continues to this day.

The thrift store moved to its current location on July 12, 2009.

Building Campaign 2026

For the betterment of Grundy and surrounding counties, the Church Women United Board has agreed to raise funds to expand the current building 30 X 60 feet.  This will increase space for retail, processing, recycling, storage, meeting ADA requirements, and support families in need. 

Church Women United Thrift Shop of Grundy County is a group of volunteers from the community who sort, price, shelve, and sell donated items to the public.  Our mission is to provide a place where individuals can purchase low-cost essentials and other items.  The income earned from the sales is donated to 501(c)(3) organizations, schools, scholarships, and other groups with special needs.

Our facility is connected and sponsored by the Grundy County Food Pantry.

* The current number of shoppers in retail space is limited to 25 based on square footage.  Within 45 - 60 minutes, an average of 79 numbers are handed out to people for timed entry. Families wait outside in all types of weather, many with young children.  1290 square feet will increase the number of shoppers to 40 in the retail space.  This number is determined for safety by the fire department.

*Processing (sort/clean/price) space is limited to 416 square feet.  510 square feet will be added.  This space will be used to process donations for retail sales, overseas missions, local animal shelter, and recycling (clothes/shoes/metal/glass).  The added square footage will allow toy and kitchen committee volunteers to move near the water source for cleaning items. 

*Overseas mission clothing/shoes are sorted, bagged, and stored in the processing area. Currently 26, 13-gallon bags are picked up each week from a designated area.  Increased square footage will move this storage area closer to an exit.

*Recycled (clothing/shoes/cardboard) is sorted, bagged, and stored in an outside shed.  Recycled clothing has rips, stains, or is out of season for our families.  The current board philosophy is to reduce what goes into local landfills.  We partner with Hope Haven, which employs disadvantaged individuals from Grundy County.  They pick up recycling bags/cardboard, sort, and process at the Chillicothe location.  Currently, we average 84 30-gallon bags from our shop for recycling per week.  Comforters/blankets are recycled and delivered by a volunteer to the local animal shelter.  Processing space is limited, so an increase of 510 square feet will provide volunteers a safe/productive work area. 

*Glass/metal is recycled.  Currently, the glass is located outside.  With increased space, glass recycling will move to the processing area until a volunteer can transport it to the Rapid Removal recycling center.  Metal currently stored in the shed is picked up by a volunteer.  Both glass and metal recycling are transported monthly. 

*Preferred care, division of family services, and fire victim families shop without charge.  Families and individuals average $17.00 per visit. 

*Outdoor sales give donations another chance to sell.  Increased square footage will move the main entry to the northeast corner.  Outdoor sales will use the current entry.  Outdoor sale volunteer’s setup/collect money/take down on Friday and Saturday.  Outdoor sales give families opportunities to shop while waiting for their number to be called for entry to the main store on Friday. 

*Holiday donations are currently stored off-site in a rented storage unit.  Volunteers sort/clean/price, and store items for the designated holiday season.  To eliminate the need for a storage unit and moving totes monthly, storage will be created in the processing area. 

*To meet ADA requirements, increased square footage will create 36” aisles for wheelchairs/canes/walkers and provide 60” clearance at entries, exits, and corners.  Currently, meeting these requirements is crowded and limits retail sales. 

Who works at the thrift shop?

Volunteers are always needed to work at the thrift store.  We have groups that work specific days and times, while others come in when they have free time to donate.  Contact any volunteer and learn how you can help. We have volunteers’ prices and store all holiday donations, toys, shoes, purses, holiday cards, books, media, etc. 

Some volunteers clean and sort home décor, kitchenware, and hang children's, women's, and men’s clothing. 

Church Women United offers individuals the opportunity to earn community service hours.  A probation officer contacts our board chairman.  Church Women United volunteers are mentored while they complete community service hours.  This program is available for men and women. 

How do you donate?

Please remember our volunteers are primarily retired women. 
We’re mighty, but white 13-gallon trash bags are the best for us to lift.  Black trash bags hold a lot, but may outweight the volunteer trying to move the bag!!  Donations need to be clean and in good working condition for our families to purchase. It helps processing if you mark on the donated item that it works.  We appreciate everyone’s donations, so before you leave items, follow this checklist;

1 –13-gallon white trash bag or similar-sized box

2 – clean

3 – working condition

Our monthly donation to the food pantry is an income source for them.  Additional funds raised by Church Women United Thrift Shop are donated to 501(c)(3) organizations in the community and surrounding counties.  Eight organizations receive monthly and fifty-seven organizations receive yearly donations.  Sixteen NCMC scholarships were given to nursing and incoming freshmen for 2025.  Additional donations are made on an as-needed basis.  Increased retail space will provide potential income growth for donations. 

The addition will add 30’ x 60’ to create a safe/productive processing area for volunteers, decrease wait time for families to enter the building, increase retail space, and provide a safe shopping opportunity for families with disabilities. 

 If you would like more information about how you can volunteer or donate, reach out to one of the Church Women United board members or contact the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce for contact information.