Fire spells the end for Good Start

LAS CRUCES - Christmas morning, a magical time for many people, brought home a sad realization for Good Start Industries: The nonprofit, which provides employment for people with disabilities and cheap and free clothing for the homeless, would have to close after 43 years in operation.

Executive Director Karen Jakeway, who has been with the organization for 42 of those years, said she got a call about 4:45 a.m. on Dec. 25 that there was a fire at the group's location at 420 South Valley Drive, the second fire in the past couple of years.

"I jumped in my vehicle and raced down there," she said.

Although the second blaze did not cause much damage, Jakeway met with the landlord and decided that the sad truth Good Start had been fighting against for many months was that the group could not continue. More money was going out than coming in, late bills needed to be paid and the staff had already been cut.

"The decision was made to close on Christmas Day," Jakeway said.

The reality is that donations have fallen along with the economy and, as Jakeway said, "It takes a lot $3 blouses to make a payroll of 25 people."

The board of directors for Good Start, which used to be affiliated with Goodwill but formed its own nonprofit organization in 2001, officially voted on the matter Jan. 6. The last day to shop at the South Valley store, or at its original location at 305 Nevada Ave., will be Jan. 29.

Leaving a void

For many years, Good Start has given $10 vouchers

to homeless people to shop at the stores, which not only offer clothes, but a variety of items such as household goods, furniture, appliances and even books. The vouchers will stop in a couple of weeks. That leaves the homeless without a valuable resource, especially with the majority of the winter season yet to go.

"It will be difficult for the homeless," said Pamela Angell, executive director of the Mesilla Valley Community of Hope. "Shoes are a big deal. The homeless walk so much."

Jakeway said people could make a $10 voucher go a long way.

"If they buy a shirt on half-price day, that would $1.50; a pair of Levi's is $1.50," she said. "They could buy two or three changes of clothing."

A trip to the stores, shows that a variety of people from around the community, not just the homeless, shop for inexpensive items. Steve Vukonich roamed the aisles of the Valley location on Tuesday. He was chagrined to learn of the closing.

"That's very sad," said Vukonich, who said Good Start was the only place he could find blue jeans that fit him. "There's so much variety."

Ruben Maynez said he shopped at the store once or twice a week.

"It's a shame it's closing," he said. "It's really needed."

Jakeway said Good Start allowed people with criminal convictions to work to fulfill community service requirements.

"I just received a call from one of the probation officers in town and she was truly distraught," Jakeway said. "We probably had 10 to 12 people a month, paying their debt to society."

'Pie just didn't grow'

Jakeway said that, during a good year, Good Start brought in close to $500,000, gross. This past year that number was about $285,000, which is not enough to meet payroll as well as bills.

She said a lot of people thought they would thrive during an economic downturn because more shoppers would look for cheaper alternatives, but that's a double-edged sword.

"Donations have declined. If you don't have the donations that you need, you don't have the support," she said. "When the economy is as bad as it has been, people who normally donate hold on to what they've got.

"(In the past) it wasn't uncommon for people to say, 'We're moving and our furniture does not fit.' We'd go pick up complete bedroom sets or complete living room sets. Same thing with appliances. Rather than trading in an appliance, they'd give it to us and we could sell it," Jakeway said. "That just doesn't happen now. People are hanging on to what they have."

Plus there is additional competition from a variety of thrift stores.

"When we started, we and the Salvation Army were the only two organizations accepting donations," Jakeway said. "You take a pie and cut it in half and each person has a significant amount of pie. Take the same pie divide 12 to 13 ways, it caused us not to be able to continue. The pie just didn't grow."

Good Start began to lay people off last year. Jakeway said prices will be cut even more.

"We're hoping that we'll be able to sell the vast majority of it so we can pay off our bills," she said. "We're hoping and praying that by the time we sell our trucks and fixtures, that we'll be able to close the doors not owing anybody anything, but that remains to be seen."

Brook Stockberger can be reached at (575) 541-5457.

Donations

Good Start Industries is no longer accepting donations. If you have clothes or other items to donate, here are some alternatives:

•Goodwill at 2593 N. Main St.

•Salvation Army at 220 E. Idaho Ave.

•Savers at 2340 N. Main St.

•Safe Haven Thrift Shop at 840 El Paseo Road

•Catholic Charities Store at 2205 S. Main St.

•Community of Hope at 999 W. Amador Ave.