The “Rooted In GRACE” campaign has set its sights on a New Donation Station. Your help is needed!
On any given day at GRACE Donation Station, hundreds of donors pull off the heavily-traveled street that is in close proximity to Grapevine Middle School, popular restaurants, and neighborhoods. If you happened to donate during the past few weeks, thank you. And our apologies!
You may have noticed our volunteers and staff passing out donation envelopes asking you to “Help Us Build a New Donation Station”. Here’s why:
On peak days, cars can line up onto Scribner Road, and may extend out to Northwest Highway. To exit Donation Station, donors maneuver a hazardous hairpin driveway and avoid large trash dumpsters and delivery trucks before re-entering the heavily-traveled street.
Since March 2019, an average of 3,650 donors drive through Donation Station each month, equal to 140 cars per day, or one car every 4½ minutes. The volume of donors through Donation Station has increased 67% in just the last few years. In recent months, the volume of cars per day has peaked at over 200. This volume is anticipated to be the “new normal” for the future.
Space within Donation Station is severely limited for sorting and storage. The narrow areas immediately aside the drive-through quickly stack with bags and bins of donated items, and it looks like your gifts are not appreciated. They are, it’s just the sheer volume of donations and the lack of space often require donations to be stacked before they can be sorted.
The Old Donation Station has Served Well
GRACE Donation Station has served as the drop-off location for donated goods for more than 15 years. The building is aging, and three years ago sustained fire damage to walls, outer panels and storage bay doors perhaps reducing its life expectancy even further.
Donation Station is Critical to Client Services
Donation Station supplies clothing, shoes, coats, bedding, and blankets for the GRACE Clothing Room that serves an average of 3,600 clients each year. Housewares, furniture, and clothing go to the GRACE Transitional Housing program, as well as other clients as the needs arise.
Remaining donations are delivered to three GRACE resale stores, or sold to vendors in bulk. Vendor sales generate $200,000 in annual revenues. In the last five years, GRACE net revenues from resale stores have funded 25% of the total direct costs of GRACE services for clients.
A New Donation Station Offers Many Benefits
A new Donation Station would provide a larger, more accessible location to meet the current and future needs in receiving and processing donations.
We have found a place on Texan Trail that fits our needs. Even with its current configuration, numerous single- and double-door entrances, two loading docks, and forklift access provides lower-level storage within the building.
The site experiences good traffic flow, but it is not the constant large volume of traffic at the current site on Scribner Road and Northwest Highway.
A large lot adjacent to the building offers an expanse that can be reconfigured into a broad loop for the drop-off of donated materials. Access and egress for donors would be eased by an entrance that provides for two-way traffic.
Renovations within the building will provide space for sorting and tagging, storage, testing, offices, a break room, rest rooms, and other needs. An attached warehouse facility onsite provides needed storage for resale seasonal inventory, boxed clothing, operational supplies and event materials.
Please Help Us
If you’ve driven through, or volunteered at the current Donation Station, you are well-aware of the hazards and our need for more space. If you have not yet experienced the long waits and crowded conditions, please call us. The tours are definitely eye-opening!
As with all aspects of the GRACE mission, we will only be able to do this with your help. We are just at the start of this campaign to Build a New Donation Station. The drive-through envelopes are only a beginning.
You will hear much more about this as the campaign shifts into high gear. If you are interested in a tour, or just knowing more about the why’s and how’s, please email Mark Woolverton, or call 817-305-4654.
