ROCKPORT, Texas — Non-profits in Aransas County have received a generous gift from Castaways thrift shop in Rockport.
Castaways thrift shop is about a lot more than just clothes. It's a place where they take in donations year-round to eventually give out to non-profits in the area. Grants totally more than half a million dollars.
The shop's chairman Debbie Guzman spoke with 3NEWS and said, "The amount of money made say in the last five years has just toppled over what you could even dream of 44 years ago."
When Castaways Thrift Shop started giving out money to local non-profits in Aransas County, the check was about $1,000 total. Now the numbers have increased up to $536,500.
Enough to keep food pantries like Rockport-Fulton Good Samaritans stocked up and ready to provide meals to those who need them.
Kerrie Huffman is a chairperson at Good Samaritans. She spoke with 3NEWS and said, "Without this, we would not be able to provide as much as we have been in the past, so it's, it helps a lot."
Huffman said they provide meals for 60-80 families a day, three days a week. The $80,000 grant from Castaways will go to helping keep food on their tables.
"I just can't even imagine going several days without eating, you know, and that's what people are facing right now." Huffman explained.
Texas Maritime Museum is another non-profit helped by Castaways. A $25,000 donation will fully fund their education department's budget, featuring programs for kids of all ages and lectures for adults.
3NEWS spoke with Shelly Knostman, an Education Director for Texas Maritime Museum. "Without it, it would make it very difficult for all the non-profits in this area and we're just so grateful to this committee that they give us the opportunity to provide such funds for us to continue our programming." She explained.
For Castaways shop chairman, Debbie Guzman, she said she knows how important these grants are for local non-profits to remain in operation. She stated, "We all get it, you know, we all understand and we just, we're excited to see how much each month, how much we make in order to hold back and give to our non-profits at the end of the year."
Five ministries are also part of Castaways, funded separately from the shop. Customers can select what they want to donate to when they shop at Castaways Thrift Shop.
Guzman said 38 non-profits have received grants this year, that is nine more than last year. The total amount is $130,000 more than last year and Guzman hopes that trend will continue.
Their annual grant presentation at Rockport County Club revealed how much they would be donating, six figures more than last year.
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