GREENSBORO, N.C. — It’s a busy morning for Yvonne Craven at Hannah’s Bridge Thrift Boutique in Greensboro.
Her goal is to have everything ready before customers enter the store.
“We have donations,” Craven said.
“We’re blessed to have a lot of people donate to us. You know keep us up and running.”
Blessed, is how she also describes her life because two years ago life was very different.
Craven said a cocaine addiction kept her from maintaining a job like she has now.
“I was homeless, I was jobless, I was living out of my car, totally hopeless and actually a couple that I went to high school with found me,” Craven explained.
That’s when they brought her to Hannah’s Haven.
Hannah’s Haven is a one-year residential Christ-based recovery program for women.
Store Manager Carina Cole said working in the thrift store is part of the women’s recovery.
“A lot of them, their resumes may be slim,” Cole said.
“Where even in addiction they may have not worked, so we want to give them stable backgrounds to be able to work in the work world. So, we teach them discipline and commitment here.”
All the money made at the store goes back into the program.
Craven graduated from the program in June.
Now gainfully employed and reconnected with her two children, she said her story shows every purchase at the store is money well spent.
“I have hope,” Craven said.
“I used to wake up in the morning wishing I didn’t wake up and now I wake up thanking God for everything that I have and to see what he has for me today.”
Hannah’s Haven will host its 5th annual charity golf tournament on October 1 at Crooked Tree Golf Course.
Special guests include Pro Champions Tour Golfer Mike Goodes and Long Drive Champion Scottie Pearman.