Hello to our RG family. I apologize for our radio silence on our newsletter. We closed our Doors March 17th due to the Covid crisis and we have been working hard every day to help the community as well as try to reopen RG.
After we closed in March, we do what non-profits are meant to do and we found other ways to provide our services to the community. We started by calling out to all of our amazing customers and creators in the community to start making reuseable cloth masks for those in need. We partnered with Goodwill and their Mask For Heroes program. To date, over 6,000 masks were made by the community and given out free to groups, organizations, and anyone that was in need. We also made no-sew teeshirt masks to distribute so volunteers that could not sew could help out. We created around 3,000 no-sew masks. And we didn't stop there. Using RG materials, we created a prototype of a handmade face shield. The CDC approved it and with the help of MANY volunteers, we have made and distributed 12,000+ face shields all across the country. We started a group called the PPEopleBrigade and encouraged other cities to create similar groups.
So now we are redirecting our focus on how to stay who we are in this current environment. Our main concern is for the health and safety of our staff and customers. We have created an online store and have been busy for weeks loading it up with purchasing options for those that don't want to venture into stores and can pick up curbside. We will continue the online store for now to give shoppers that option. We have been letting a limited number of shoppers in by having appointment only shopping. This is the best way for us to control our occupancy numbers and also give everyone the RG experience that they are accustomed to. Everyone wants to take their time, listen to good music, and get lost for just a moment. We have been able to offer that tiny slice of "normal" by operating in this way. By operating this way, we want you to understand that we are choosing people over profits.
We have offered a few donation days that were by appointment only as well. We appreciate those that have donated. Unfortunately, we will be pausing donations for a bit. The store is very full. Because our hours are fewer and we are limiting customers, we move inventory at a slower rate. We also are very short-staffed and all donations must sit for 2 days to safely be handled by staff. So for now, we will need to say no to donations. If you need to donate your items now, we suggest donating to Freedom House, Barnabus Network, and Habitat Restore. We hope to be able to take donations further down the road. If you can store them for a while, we would love your donations at a later date.
This week, to show appreciation for our community, we are offering 50% off your purchase (leather, RG merch, and online store inventory is excluded from the sale) I am attaching the link to sign up for a shopping appointment below. Please note that masks are required to enter the store and must be worn at all times. If wearing a masks is not an option for you, please visit our online store for a shopping option.
Thanks, everyone. We love you and miss you! We will get through this together.
(Also- Wilson is doing great! He lives with me and has 2 new cat sisters and a dog brother)
Be well- Big love!
Paige Cox
Executive Director - Reconsidered Goods
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