Featuring everything from clothing and lawnmowers to pianos, the Door of Hope Thrift Store at 1611 E. Eighth St. will have a 50-percent-off “Customers’ Appreciation Sale” from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Pastor Andrew Pistone, executive director of the store and the Door of Hope Mission at 200 W. First St., said the event is being conducted “because we are in real need of cash donations” to help fund the store’s and mission’s combined $700,000 annual budget.
With everything in the store marked down, the sale will offer free lunches from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. both days with sodas, hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and popcorn being served. “All proceeds will go to sustain the mission,” Pistone said.
“We have thousands of used items from furniture to pictures, electronics, tools, organs, two pianos including a grand piano, lawnmowers and lots of clothing. Our capacity at the mission is up to 60 men and women who are trying to change their lives and step up to a higher level. We have over 40 now, but the numbers change.
“They’ve tried everything, and we now get them to try God for a change.”
Led for 32 years by Pistone’s brother, David, until his February 2015 retirement, the nonprofit mission has been an Odessa landmark since 1966, Andrew Pistone said. The thrift store was opened in November 2016 to operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Pistone said two years ago that the Door of Hope had a six-month program, “but we have had some people stay for years, working their way back into society.”
The mission has daily worship services at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. “It can be very effective if people want to turn their lives over to Jesus,” he said.
“We are not a shelter, we’re a stepping stone to get from one level of life to the next.”
Pistone said the mission gets no government support and is solely funded by private donations and thrift store revenues. Its board of directors includes President Ray Beaty, J.D. O’Neal, Ted Parson, Kelly Luxton, Gene Roberts and Pistone.
