CBS 3 visited two KenCrest’s Day Sharing friends as they shopped until they dropped at Liberty Ministries Thrift in Pottstown.
By Sydney Kerelo
Earlier this month, CBS3 reporter Wakisha Bailey visited Laura and Dave at Liberty Ministries Thrift, where Laura volunteers her time.
Once a week, Laura volunteers at Liberty Thrift, either handing out flyers to customers as they walk in, pairing unmatched shoes, or even sorting hangers for the next batch of clothes. She always has a brilliant smile and an upbeat personality, making her the store’s star whenever she’s in.
Laura’s Day Sharing partner, Dave, will occasionally grab donuts from Redner’s Warehouse Markets next door and celebrate a hard day’s work with a special treat before moving on to their next adventure.
Laura and Dave met more than two years ago at KenCrest’s Robinson Street Community Participation Day program (CBS) before COVID hit, shuttering the program. Since then, the duo spent many months apart until April 2022, when they had the chance to reconnect.
Since then, they have been inseparable. Dave and Laura regularly visit each other through virtual bingo, bowling at the Coventry Mall, or visiting Laura while she volunteers at Liberty Thrift.
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Established in 1980, Liberty Thrift allows customers to find second-hand, lightly used furniture, clothes, books, and more in each of their seven stores. But while they help locals, their mission is much more vital: to end prison recidivism in Pennsylvania. The store has impacted the lives of thousands of incarcerated and ex-incarcerated men and women around the state.
They have seven locations across Pennsylvania: Collegeville, Montgomeryville, Feasterville, Quakertown Plaza, Quakertown Country Store, Sanatoga, and the Pottstown North End.
When CBS3 Reporter Wakisha Bailey visited the Pottstown location, she saw not only the incredible work of Liberty Thrift but the love and friendship that Dave and Laura have established.
Check out CBS3’s video of Laura and Dave’s relationship through KenCrest and her experiences volunteering below.