Second Hand Heros, a nonprofit organization at 113 Mississippi Ave in Crystal City, will soon need to find a new location.
Second Hand Heros collects new and gently used clothing, cookware, bedding, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, diapers, wipes, formula, baby food and more to distribute for free to those in need. It is staffed entirely by volunteers.
The organization has operated out of the Mississippi Avenue location for the past four years but must vacate the space by May 31.
Valerie Lee, who runs the group, said her landlord rented out the space he has been using as his personal office and wants to move his office to the space where Second Hand Heros operates.
Lee said she was caught off guard by the announcement but holds no hard feelings toward the landlord, who has been giving her a large discount on the rent the organization has been paying him, only charging $325 per month. Lee did not have a lease on the space.
“He’s been wonderful to work with, and he hates doing this, but business is business, and if they’ve got to rent out their place and move into ours, it is what it is. He gave us good notice. We’ve got until May. There are no ill feelings at all,” Lee said.
Lee said the biggest obstacle for the organization right now is finding a space that’s within its budget.
“One issue I have is affording the rent. I would need more sponsors to afford a new place (with a higher rent).”
Lee said the organization currently has a few sponsors who help cover the rent, utility and trash bills, but more would be needed to find a new space, since it would most likely be more expensive.
She said it would be great to find a handful of people to sponsor the group for $50-$100 per month, which together could be enough to cover the cost of rent.
“You never know, it could also be a tax write off for someone, so I’m keeping my head up,” she said.
Lee said she has looked into applying for grants for the organization, but many grants have stipulations about who can receive assistance from the organization, such as only those with certain incomes or only those who live in Jefferson County. She also said it would be difficult for her to turn away those in need who don’t meet the criteria.
“If somebody from Washington County or St. Louis County comes in, I personally would have a hard time not helping them,” she said.
Lee said Second Hand Heros helps anyone in need who stops by, regardless of income or residence. The organization only asks their names and phone numbers so the group can track how many people it helps.
Lee said she is open to operating out of a church if it is willing to donate use of some of its space for the organization.
What she doesn’t want to consider is closing Second Hand Heros permanently because of the positive impact it has had on those in need.
“It’s really helping so many people. We are averaging helping 70 people a day, and that’s just the adults,” she said. “We don’t count the kids who come in,” she said. “And we’re only open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. four days a week, so that’s 70 people in only in five-and-a-half-hour time frame.”
Lee said many of the people Second Hand Heros helps are unhoused or without transportation and arrive on foot, so staying in the Twin City area is essential. She would also love to find a new location with more square footage but knows it will be difficult given the organization’s financial constraints.
She said the current location has a 744-square-foot “shopping floor,” plus a lobby and storage area. If the group could find a space twice that size, it would be ideal.
“It would be fabulous to go bigger, but we just need a spot,” she said.
Lee said if Second Hand Heros ends up in a smaller area, the organization will need to limit the types of donations it accepts.
“Right now we’re covering every need,” she said. “I would hate to eliminate something just because of space.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring Second Hand Heros or donating money to the group may reach Lee at 636-209-7372.