East Cobb residents Doug and Fran Cameron have turned their garage into something of a second-hand store. The Camerons have a knack for collecting items from the community and getting them to those who need them most.
Currently, the Camerons’ garage is packed with children’s toys, books, winter coats, housewares, and bins of seasonal clothing.
“It’s stacked and stacked and starting to look like the Goodwill,” Doug told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We had a gentleman come a few months ago with his entire SUV filled with his daughter’s clothing that she had outgrown.”
For the last five years, Fran has volunteered at a free pop-up market that provides free commodities, fresh fruits and vegetables to four apartment communities each week. Eventually, item donations and hand-me-downs came rolling in — and Fran volunteered to collect them.
“I foolishly volunteered to do that part,” said Fran. “There’s a lot more need in our community than people are aware of, and I think there are a lot of people in the community who want to help meet needs. We’re just the conduit to help that happen.”
The items eventually find new homes with Cobb County families served through the McCleskey-East Cobb Family YMCA Hunger Relief program. Gayle Battersby, who oversees the McCleskey hunger relief, says Doug and Fran have hearts of gold.
“They saw the need. They saw babies come out with no shoes on and no socks. No coats during the cold,” Battersby said.
“Initially, Fran said she was going to get them clothes, and now she’s turned her garage into a second-hand store, and she collects constantly.”
“It’s just snowballed in this community to bring hope and love,” Battersby said. “We get to know when someone’s having a baby, and we’ll start looking for strollers and diapers.”
The Camerons were recently recognized as “Difference Makers” by Gas South and the YMCA for their volunteer work.
Gas South supports the YMCA of Metro Atlanta and nine other nonprofits with annual financial and in-kind resources.
