Plethera of thrift stores

I hand out my last group of warm hats and sweaters plus long-sleeved shirts this morning without fear as it's TUESDAY and 25% off day at the Goodwill!

There seems to be a plethera of thrift stores in Yuma - and I can't help but see all the refugees with their layers of clothing, bags and backpacks, stuffed with treasures they've traveled many miles with by foot or bus or boat and border patrol handing them a tiny 8" by 10" maybe plastic bag that is supposed to fit all their important things.

And I know those treasures will be tossed into the garbage - or maybe into a thrift store...

The only things that will be turned over to the refugee after they've been 'processed' are in that little, clear, see-through plastic bag. I wonder about those treasures but I do not dwell.

Several stores I stop at are way too expensive but one store has three 50 cent racks. I find $4.00 worth of warm jackets, sweatshirts, and one warm beanie hat.

I also go to my fave Green Grocery to see what's on the shelves this week, and find one pound packages of turkey breast lunchmeat for $2.50. The standard fare for refugees since I've been here, is both baloney with mayonaise, and also peanut butter and jelly on white (not wonder) bread. I have a hard time with the baloney but I also know it is cheap.

We've had this conversation: do we buy quality food that might feed a couple people and let everyone else go hungry? Or do we buy cheap, awful stuff and at least fill people's belly with terrible food that I and most of us haven't been forced to choose in many decades.

A quick google search tells me this pound of turkey lunchmeat is cheaper than the cheapest pound of baloney that I could find.

I try to get ahold of the paid staff of the coalition to see if they want me to buy any. I could easily buy $100 worth if I had the funds, there are that many. Oscar Myer also so I'm singing that tune and thinking surely this brand is much more 'healthy' maybe - maybe not.

But there's the additional issue of freezer space. Last week, someone said their freezer couldn't take another container of baloney so I'm not going to buy yet.

I also find large jars of peanut butter for $3.00 - do I ever buy peanut butter? Nope, but I do think this is cheap.

I end up leafin the store with the promise of returning if I hear from the staff that they want to spend their money this way.

My last stop in Goodwill. It is such a pleasure for me to find great deals, not to resell but to provide warm clothing for others.

I find several good coats that are 50% off and think I get an additional 25% off. I also find great quality warm socks for 99 cents and less. I'm really happy about that because the other socks I bought are more for summer, and not warmth for now.

I return to my parking place in front of the brothers homes before hearing from anyone. $31 somehow bought 14 kids and adults warm jackets or hoodies or sweaters along with 7 pairs of warm long socks!

I'm ready for tomorrow, my last day in Yuma for this leg of my journey