HAINES CITY, Fla. — A new thrift store in Haines City is helping provide a safe haven for women in need.
Tela Harrison moved to Haines City six months ago to escape an abusive relationship.
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“I felt unsafe using public transit not knowing where their exact location was. Just being in that city, I just didn’t feel safe anymore,” Harrison said.
As she was getting situated, she experienced an anxiety attack for the first time in her life.
“I hadn’t really processed what I had been through, not just in the past two years but really most of my life. I think the survival mode and all the emotions from all the previous traumas just finally came up,” Harrison said.
Harrison would later learn about The Women and Youth Center, a faith-based nonprofit, providing services to families in crisis, including transitional housing for women and children.
“The community wanted to give furniture all the time, and we were consistently turning it down because we didn’t have space. So, this offered us a space to do that,” said LeAnn Pierce, Executive Director of The WAY Center.
The Way 2 Shoppe Furniture and More just opened its doors on Ingraham Avenue in downtown Haines City.
Every dollar spent will benefit The WAY Center. This is the second thrift store for the nonprofit. The hope is to generate enough revenue to open a new home for mothers with older sons.
“As a mom of two boys, I have a heart to help single moms with boys. That's something we haven’t been able to do. If the boy is over the age of 10, we have to refer them to another organization. So, I'm looking forward to being able to offer that service,” Pierce said.
Bringing stability and hope to families while giving shoppers a way to make a difference.
“Being at the WAY home has really brought me peace that I haven’t really felt before,” Harrison said.
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