GEAR Celebrates 6 Years! Because of YOUR generosity - We are Celebrating 6 Years of Serving Young Adults with Disabilities - Your Donations have created 31 JOBS and supports 7 Outreaches to those in Need right HERE in WIlliamson County! Job Well Done! Watch our YOUTUBE Thank You Video: 
CONTACT US1018 Columbia Ave. 501c (3) IRS Non Profit # 20-5480584 OUR THRIFT STORE |
homeWelcome to the GEAR Foundation where the right people in the right place are doing the right thing. Ms. Cheap - Tennessean Article About Our Thrift StoreApril 03, 2010
Ms. Cheap: Our Thrift Store benefits employees, shoppers GEAR Foundation store a special needs I love a cheap success story, and The GEAR Foundation and its Our Thrift Store in Franklin has The nonprofit is about to celebrate its sixth anniversary. It started with six employees and now This growth in the number of jobs for these hard working but hard-to-place people is big news by We didn't want a blessing to become a curse so after much prayer and freaking out, we said, 'we'll figure it out.' We did and it means we can create more jobs for young adults," Dave said. The merchandise is good quality and the prices are just right for penny pinchers — as in dishwashers for $39.99 and $49.99, stoves for $89.99 and $129.99, stacked washer/dryer combos for $99.99-$129.99, refrigerators for $99-$129.99, sleeper sofas for $99.99 and wingback chairs for $49.99. The stoves looked pristine, the fridges nice and clean and the sofas and chairs priced low enough that even if you had to have them reupholstered (which I would) you would still have a deal. There's framed art, lamps and other miscellaneous hotel room furnishings at super low prices like There's more news from The GEAR Foundation: • GEAR's Our Fulfillment Center has expanded, where disabled workers pack socks for shipment • There's a new eBay business, where workers list and sell selected donated items on eBay in hopes of bringing higher prices for collectibles and jewelry. • GEAR launched a recycled, refurbished computer Advertisement business. Franklin's Tech Pros taught Our Thrift workers how to do computer repair, and now donated computers are being wiped clean, rebuilt and sold in the store for $99 for a complete system. When Dave opened his store six years ago, he told me, "I just wanted to create an environment where I could hire young adults with disabilities. As long as we are making money and hiring kids I'm happy.'' Needless to say that now, with all this good news, Dave is a very happy man. Our Thrift is at 1018 Columbia Highway in Franklin. Call 591-9612 or go to www.ourthriftstore.org. Stay Cheap! Wyndham Nashville Resort Partners with GEARFebruary 22, 2010
For Immediate Release Contact: Dave Krikac 615.591-9612
Liz Hutchison Wyndham Vacation Ownership 407-626-4594 Donates Products to Help Employ GEAR's Young Adult Participants Franklin TN, February 2010—On February 15, 2010 The GEAR Foundation announced that Wyndham Vacation Resorts and the Music City USA Property Owners Association, Inc. have agreed to provide a new channel of support to the non-profit organization. Following a renovation project at Wyndham Nashville, a timeshare project in Nashville, TN, Wyndham Vacation Resorts and the Music City USA Property Owners Association, Inc. have donated furniture, appliances, and other room furnishings to the GEAR Foundation. In connection with future anticipated renovations, Wyndham Nashville expects, over the next three years, to donate refrigerators, stoves, washer/dryers, dishwashers, microwaves, mattresses, artwork, lamps, couches and chairs from approximately 392 units. The GEAR Foundation estimates the market value of the items donated from each condominium-style suite to be worth approximately $600, which would result in an estimated $225,000 in merchandise for GEAR to sell through "Our Thrift Store” located at 1018 Columbia Avenue in downtown Franklin, TN. "We are honored to support GEAR by donating furniture, fixtures and appliances for the expansion of their Our Thrift Store” said Mike Sellge, Resort Manager, Wyndham Nashville. "This partnership demonstrates our commitment to the Nashville community and reaffirms our efforts to sustain our environment through our WyndhamGreen initiative.” GEAR kicked off operations with Our Thrift Store more than six years ago. Today the organization includes Our Fulfillment Center and a thriving eBay business. Our Thrift Store had considered expanding beyond clothing and creating a home furnishings store, as current GEAR customers are interested in finding affordable, gently used items for their home. "It's green and provides the help we need to expand our offerings and yet continue to bless the customers who depend on us for affordable clothing,” said Dave Krikac, GEAR Founder. "This is a template that we hope will attract other caring hotel organizations who might find this an attractive option for dealing with room furnishings that must be disposed of after a renovation.” GEAR picked up the first group of donations from Wyndham on February 23,, 2010 and began offering them to customers on February 28,, 2010. About Wyndham Vacation Ownership Wyndham Vacation Ownership, a member of Wyndham Worldwide's (NYSE: WYN) family of companies, is the world's largest vacation ownership business, as measured by the number of vacation ownership resorts, individual vacation ownership units and owners of vacation ownership interests. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its three primary consumer brands, Wyndham Vacation Resorts, WorldMark by Wyndham, and Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific. Wyndham Vacation Ownership is headquartered in Orlando, Fla., and is supported by approximately 12,500 employees globally. About The GEAR Foundation (www.thegearfoundation.org) The Mission of The GEAR Foundation, Our Thrift Store and Our Fulfillment Center is to provide individuals with disabilities with work experiences, which will enable them to develop their own unique capabilities and potential, thereby achieving Gainful Employment and Respect. Earlier this year the store received The Shining Apple Award in Business & Industry from the Williamson County School District for their support of Page and Centennial high schools' young adults with disabilities. GEAR Partners with Tech Pros to Create More JobsOctober 06, 2009
GEAR Partners with Tech Pro's -Creates More Jobs for Special Needs Young Adults Franklin TN, October 2009 On October 6, 2009 The GEAR Foundation announced a partnership with Tech-Pro's of Franklin. GEAR and Tech-Pros are joining forces to create a computer technician job-training program for special needs young adults in Williamson County. Tech-Pro's, led by President and CEO Gabriel Howard will be working to train employees of The GEAR Foundation in developing skills needed to repair computers donated to Our Thrift Store, a key job training program of the GEAR Foundation. After a training period of one to three months, GEAR will begin to encourage donors to bring "nicely used” computers to the thrift store so that special needs young adults can repair and then sell. "We are so appreciative of what Gabriel and the folks at Tech-Pros are offering to our kids. Their willingness to give back to the community in this manner is commendable and shows their commitment to Franklin and Williamson County,” Said Dave Krikac, founder of The GEAR Foundation.
GEAR kicked off operations with Our Thrift Store more than five years ago. Today the organization includes Our Fulfillment Center and a thriving eBay business. "Our mission is to train special needs young adults. We know that this works best when we partner with local businesses. GEAR will continue to expand operations and identify new job coaching opportunities for this underserved group of kids” said Dave Krikac. "We are grateful to Tech-Pros for what they are doing and will continue to do on behalf of our mission.” About Tech-Pros (www.tech-pros.com) |
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