When hard times come, a fire, loss of a job or medical emergency, for some of us, getting our basic needs met can be a struggle. But there’s one place, tucked away on Cleveland’s east side, that’s trying to fill that gap, giving your unwanted items another chance.
When you pull up, you may see a couch on the curb, you may hear a creak in the door.
Those are just some of the familiar nuisances that make coming here for Cleveland resident Donner Davidson, feel like home.
“I actually found a lot of comfort here because I became friends with the people here, we laugh and talk,” she said.
Her and others calling it a hidden gem.
“I had no idea that they even existed, even though I’ve been in Cleveland all my life,” Davidson said.
It’s a store called Another Chance of Ohio, and it’s packed with donated clothes, shoes, electronics and appliances, basically everything but the kitchen sink.
All the items donated to the store are also given away to the community completely for free.
“The dream has come to be a reality,” said founder Barbara Anderson who has maintained the shop for the past 15 years.
“The funny part to this is sometimes I don’t even know what I’ve just collected,” she said.
It all started after she lost her sister to cancer, took in her four children, in addition to having her own family, and found herself in need of lots of help.
“It was very few resources and it was very difficult,” Anderson said.
Now, reaching out to residents and companies in the community to donate their old treasures, she’s now able to help families overcome traumatic situations like Davidson’s home eviction 6 years ago, and give residents options as to where they can shop if money is tight.
“They just have a wealth of information, a wealth of clothing, a wealth of everything,” Davidson said.
For the first time, Another Chance of Ohio will be holding a free outdoor market right next door, early this summer, starting in June.
If you’re interested in donating items or shopping at the store, you can head to 2974 East 65th Street Cleveland, OH.
