MEMPHIS, Tennessee — With the holiday shopping season now in full swing, those at Memphis Goodwill are encouraging shoppers consider their donation centers as an option in the coming weeks.
Those at the organization said buying there is actually 'giving twice' - getting gifts for loved ones while also assisting Goodwill's many missions.
ABC24 News found some in in the Mid-South are also taking part in a growing trend nationally of buying gently used items.
That includes Christina Clayton.
"It's something that I grew up with it, so it's always going to be part of my quote-unquote DNA," she said Friday.
For the Goodwill shopper, every time she's in a store, she said she thinks of her mother, a single mother of three who made ends meet.
"Coming up with the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and Goodwill, it's something that I continue into my adult life," Crayton added.
Crayton continues that legacy throughout the year for herself and for others during holiday shopping, with proceeds going back to help Goodwill's missions of women's assistance, job training, and high school graduation for adults.
"I love when I walk in the door every time to see the career opportunities that they have, the business opportunities that are out there," Crayton said.
That's why those at Memphis Goodwill encourage shoppers to consider buying their gently used clothing, toys, and electronics that puts money directly back into good causes.
"The items that come in here are not wear and tear. They are still in good condition," Goodwill shopper Ashley Thomas said.
Thomas sees firsthand the power of buying of donating gently used items, especially during the holidays.
"It can help with a lot of people with the stuff that's coming in and out of here. There will be people coming in from off the streets. We give them shoes, we get them clothes, we get them blankets. It helps a lot of people," Thomas added.
"I come in here often and I probably get $250, $300 worth of product for probably $75," Crayton said.
For locations and hours of Goodwill donation centers in the Memphis area, go to: https://www.goodwillmemphis.org/locations.