The Precious Life Shelter Thrift and Gift Store in Los Alamitos is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special promotional sale every 20th day of the month. All Thrift and Gift Store proceeds go to their three-phase residential programs for homeless, pregnant women.
The Precious Life Shelter Thrift and Gift Store in Los Alamitos is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special promotional sale every 20th day of the month. All Thrift and Gift Store proceeds go to their three-phase residential programs for homeless, pregnant women.
Founded by Los Alamitos residents Theresa and Don Sherrin in 1989, who had been foster parents themselves, the Precious Life Shelter, Inc., is a private non-denominational, non-profit which serves between 80 to 100 new women a year, according to Executive Director, Theresa Murphy.
“The women are referred by the police department, local hospitals, Social Services, online or by word of mouth on the streets,” said Murphy. “They can stay anywhere from 1 day to 2 years.”
The women, who can gain retail experience by working in the Thrift and Gift Store, can transition from emergency housing to transitional housing to a single parent efficiency program. Currently, PLS has 16 women living on their grounds, but has room for up 36 residents. They help women regardless if they decide to parent or place their child for adoption.
PLS services include career planning and onsite childcare, life skills development, health and nutrition education, instruction in childbirth and parenting, and weekly case management with professional counseling and drug diversion counseling (as needed).
“All our classes are taught by professionals in the community who volunteer their time and services to the Shelter,” said Murphy. “We are very grateful to the community for all their support.”
“We try to meet all their needs as soon as they come here on a first come, first serve basis,” she continued. “We make sure they get food, a shower, clothing, show them their room, and give them baby supplies.”
As women move into more independence, they work with a case manager on such issues as a diversion program for drug and alcohol, domestic violence, cleaning up bad debt, and finishing education components, according to Murphy. “We become the family they don’t have.”
“Probably the hardest thing for them is planning for not being here permanently,” she said. “We try to work with the community, and are working on permanent housing for graduates from our program eventually.”
Important to the livelihood of the PLS, the Thrift and Gift Store provides for 40 percent of their operational costs, according to Murphy. The rest of the costs are subsidized by grants, local donors, and fundraising events which Murphy coordinates.
Every last Thursday of each month, the Thrift and Gift Store has a “Dollar Day Sale,” along with a “Blow Out Sale,” the second Saturday of each month. The PLS Thrift and Gift Store is located at 3622 Florista Street in Los Alamitos with hours on Mondays – Fridays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Their phone number is 562-430-7309. PLS office can be reached by calling 562-431-5025, and online at preciouslifeshelter.org. Donations and volunteers are always welcome.