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In April 2020, COVID-19 brought much of Arizona’s economy to a screeching halt. All businesses not deemed “essential” were ordered closed by Arizona’s governor Doug Ducey.
The lockdown continued for nearly two months. When Gov. Ducey finally gave the go ahead to reopen, businesses slowly began the road to recovery. Even those listed as “essential” had a challenge with this economic recovery.
Many small businesses and non-profits in Arizona didn’t survive the lockdown. The businesses that did survive are hanging on as best they can. Copper Area News wanted to give something back to the local business community. Over the next several weeks, our newspapers (Copper Basin News, Superior Sun and San Manuel Miner) will be featuring local businesses and non-profits, encouraging our readers to Shop at Home, stay local and support our local businesses. To date, Copper Area News has featured 72 businesses in the Copper Corridor.
As the COVID-19 Pandemic took its toll, businesses, families and even local non-profits had to adjust their strategies to keep their missions moving forward while working through the pandemic. Meetings were moved to Zoom and fundraisers had to become creative as in-person events were not allowed.
The Hand Me Up Shop is the primary fundraiser for the Copper Area Health Volunteers.
It started in 1985 as the earning arm of the Kennecott Samaritan Hospital Volunteers. It was a thrift shop then, and still is today, operating on donations from the local communities, businesses and other friends. The group continued after Samaritan closed the hospital in 1991. It began supporting the new formed Community Health Care Foundation, which organized to keep a clinic in the Copper Basin area. The Hand Me Up Shop operated in two rooms of the clinic building and a major part of the volunteers’ effort went towards helping keep the clinic operating.
The group re-incorporated in 2003 and opened for business in a donated building in Kearny. They have since purchased the building and continue to operate as the Hand Me Up Shop. It is a completely volunteer organization and volunteers are always welcomed.
The Copper Area Health Volunteers provides scholarships – for graduating seniors and adults who are entering the health care fields. They are also available to help those who are victims of a disaster — allowing them to go through the shop and pick out what they need. It’s a one-time option and is free to those whose lives have been uprooted by a disaster.
The area served by the Hand Me Up shop is the entire Copper Corridor, an area approximately 600 square miles. The mandate for the Volunteers is that they concentrate on health and that all donations are given in the area of health.
The shop is located at 117 Tilbury Dr., Kearny, and is open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The phone number is 520-363-9683.
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