- With the colder months, coats, hats and gloves are essential everyday items. But not everyone has easy access to them.
- GAPS Family Outreach recently opened their free store to the public, providing essential items to those in need.
- Video shows the group's founder and President speaking about the free store.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
With our first true snowfall of the season on Tuesday, the need for essential items like winter coats and hats is high, and one outreach program in our neighborhoods is doing what they can to help.
"We are just trying to educate and empower people to rise above their situation," Shelley Slee said.
At the corner of Jolly and Hagadorn in Okemos, the GAPS Family Outreach free store is providing essential items to those in need. The free store has been operating since last year, but recently established set hours of operation and opened to the public.
The group's founder and President Shelley Slee says since the store has established its hours, they've helped an average of 30 families a day. However, the work the program does extends well past just the free store.
"We have this store," Slee said. "It's a hub. But, we do a lot. I would say we're offsite more than onsite."
"We're in neighborhoods. We have that neighborhood outreach. We've been at Huntley Villa for quite a while. We go there every third Friday and we bring in the warm gear of backpacks or whatever season it is."
With winter weather here to stay as we head into the later months of the season, she says demand for cold weather gear is high.
"We fly through the coars, and the hats, and the gloves," she said.
And with that demand comes the need for donations.
"Donations, they can contact us," Slee said. "They can meet us at the storage unit. We have Discount Carpet Warehouse and Showroom in Mason. There's a pod there."
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
