Winter Garden offers new beginning for thrift store

New Beginnings Thrift Store has opened a third location, this time in the Winter Garden Shopping Plaza. The resale shop offers slightly used furniture, household items and clothing. Lorraine Patria is the manager. New Beginnings of Central Florida also has thrift stores in Kissimmee and Minneola.

The store welcomes donations, and an employee is available to pick up large items. The store is at 14041 W. Colonial Drive and open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The mission of the non-profit, based in Lake County, is to provide services and training to help homeless people get back on their feet. The organization has partnerships with Second Harvest Food Bank, Mid-Florida Homeless Coalition and Access Florida.

New Beginnings operates several transitional houses in Clermont, including the former Mulberry Inn on Montrose Street, which now serves as a temporary shelter for women and children. Next door is a home for men. Those living in the houses must attend life-skills classes at the New Beginnings office, also on Montrose.

More than 400 people are served weekly, as well, from food pantries and the Helping Hands Outreach.