Family Fashions is closing in Poplar Bluff, but a new resale shop supporting addiction recovery is moving in.
Wes Tayloe is the associate pastor at Westwood Baptist Church, and has worked extensively in their RU Recovery Program. This year, he founded The Timothy Foundation, a nonprofit discipleship program for people struggling with addiction.
He explained The Timothy Foundation is developing four branches: an adult education program to help people earn their high school diploma or equivalent; the SEMO Bible Institute for higher education; a clothing closet and food pantry called Helping Hands Ministry; and residential recovery homes. The RU Recovery Program has also been folded into the foundation, which operates distinct from, but adjacent to, Westwood Baptist Church.
“There’s a lot of needs when you work with people with addictions. And a lot of times they’re trying to overcome an addiction but they need food, they need shelter, they need all of these other necessities before they can focus on that addiction,” said Tayloe.
The recovery homes will be funded and then supported by Revive Resale.
“So that’s the next step in the process, is to have a residential recovery home up and going so that some of these individuals that are coming out of these addictive lifestyles, they have a safe environment to be in, to really grow and to mature instead of going right back into what they came out of.”
Ultimately The Timothy Foundation aims to have recovery homes for men, women, teens and foster youth. It is a big goal, one that is matched by the need in the area.
“I think having worked in the addictions recovery program for 10 years, the need in this area is just mind blowing,” Tayloe remarked. “It compares very much to the St. Louis area, the individuals that either personally knows someone, or someone in their family or they themselves have struggled with addiction. It just touches everybody.”
Revive Resale will occupy the former Family Fashions consignment store founded by Westwood Baptist Church members Linda and Carl Craft almost 30 years ago. The Crafts approached Tayloe about buying the building once they decided to retire, and they worked with the church to make the cost attainable.
Linda Craft said she and her husband are looking forward to a long vacation to Florida, but she anticipates helping out at Revive Resale when they return.
“I’ll be back, I’ll be helping them. I’m proud of our groups at church, you know, they try so hard,” she said.
Revive Resale is also keeping the employees of Family Fashions, plus bringing in volunteers to help. The Timothy Foundation is currently fundraising for their extensive renovations to the building, and planning to open Jan. 4 of the new year. They expect to hold a grand opening in the spring.
“Our goal is to have a big grand opening, two weeks before Easter, and we’re going to do a big block party over there and have bounce houses and food and live music, and just kind of invite the entire community out to be a part of that,” said Tayloe.
The Timothy Foundation has already started receiving donations for Revive Resale. Anyone interested in the foundation or in donating can find more information by calling 573-300-7862 or visiting timothyfoundationpb.org.