Caring Center continues giving back to the community

STERLING – It may be better to give than to receive, but there’s a place in Sterling that does both.

If the Caring Center didn’t receive donations from people, it wouldn’t be able to give as much back to the community as it has – and it’s given back a lot.

The Caring Center offers people who need a helping hand a selection of clothes, dishes, toys, jewelry, home decor and more, and most of it is free, although there are limits on certain items, and donations are requested for larger items.

The center is supported by donations from the community and a staff of volunteers – about 20 – who sort and stock and take care of customers.

General manager Irene Nusbaum has been with the store for 12 years, and in that time, she’s seen what the Caring Center can do for people – from being there in a person’s time of need to giving them a much-needed smile when they find what they’re looking for.

“It’s a mission where you help so many people,” Nusbaum said. “You just help so many people. All of us volunteers are so blessed.”

Clothing takes up much of the floor space, hung on hangers and sorted on racks by men’s and women’s pieces and by sizes – all free of stains and tears. Elsewhere, dishes, toys, jewelry, decor and shoes fill the floor, all in presentable condition as well.

Books of all kinds also find their way in and out of the store, sorted by genres and categories – anything from a baby’s first book to a postgraduate academic textbook.

Assistant manager Brooke Cochran has seen many people browse through the books as if it were a library trip – no due dates here, however.

It’s a mission where you help so many people. You just help so many people. All of us volunteers are so blessed.”

—  Irene Nusbaum

“They can get unlimited books when they come in because we have so many. They can take about as many as they want,” Cochran said. “They do go out of here. There are people who only come in here specifically to look at the books, and they may take out 20 at a time.”

Nearby, DVDs, videocassettes, CDs and cassettes can be found and, similar to the books, there’s no limit on those. There are plenty of puzzles, too.

Donations are accepted when the store is open during the mornings and mid-afternoons Monday through Wednesday, and the place is literally overflowing with kindness.

An off-site warehouse stores what doesn’t fit on the floor and in the backroom. Still, enough people come in – and often wait outside until the store opens – to keep items moving and the selection constantly changing.

“They come early,” Nusbaum said. “If you don’t take it when you see it, most likely it will be gone.”

Keeping the store stocked takes a lot of work for the team of dedicated volunteers, and they’re always thinking ahead. Easter items hit the floor as soon as St. Patrick’s Day is over, and preparation for summer stock takes place before the last snow has melted.

Customers can only shop once a week and must sign in before shopping. They then have 30 minutes to go through the store before checking out.

While too much of a good thing can be an issue sometimes, Nusbaum and Cochran have found that most of the customers respect the limits in place, understanding that everyone must play by the rules to help the Caring Center succeed.

“Most of the people are patient and understanding when we tell them they can’t have too many,” Nusbaum said. “They’ll tell us that they’ll give a few dollars for it or something like that.”

Exceptions have been made when the situation calls for it, such as losing everything in a house fire.

“I get a lot of phone calls from the YMCA and a lot of organizations in the community,” Nusbaum said. “[These people] often say they don’t have anything, no bed, no blankets, anything. I’ll tell them ‘Come by Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesday at 10 o’clock’ and ‘Come back when you want,’ and I’ll check with them at the checkout counters. They’re very patient when they request something.”

The Caring Center’s mission began about 25 years ago by members of the Science Ridge Mennonite Church north of Sterling. When more space was needed, it moved to West Second Street in Rock Falls for a while before settling into its current location about 10 years ago. The building used to be part of the former Kline’s Department Store for many years until it closed in the mid-1990s.

When the Caring Center moved in, the building was owned by Jim and Sheila Gabler, who operated the VeriFacts skip tracing business in the former main section of Kline’s.

When the Gablers looked to sell the building and move elsewhere in town in 2019, they partitioned off the Caring Center part of the building and donated it to the donation center. Now, although that means having a home they can call their own, it also means paying the bills and maintenance costs. That’s where money from donations helps.

It’s also where the volunteers come in because without them, the Caring Center couldn’t do what it does. From people behind the scenes on the board of directors to people behind the counter, it takes a lot of work to keep things going.

Most of the staff is past retirement age. More volunteers are always welcome, and applications are available at the store.

“These are hard jobs,” Nusbaum said. “You may not think about it, but these are hard jobs when you’re working.”

Luckily, volunteers are up to the task, and there’s been enough helping hands to keep things going. As long as kindness is as plentiful as the supply of items that come through its doors, people who come to the Caring Center will be in good hands for a long time to come.