Metro Detroit Salvation Army Thrift Stores Summer Sale

We regularly go through our bedroom closets and dressers at the beginning of each summer to weed out clothing items that are in good condition but don't fit or just aren't worn anymore for our family to donate to the local Salvation Army thrift stores.  I just dropped off our annual summer donation of unused clothing and household items to The Salvation Army the other day.  It is a win-win-win deal when donating items to The Salvation Army thrift stores because it provides a tax donation to the donor, recycles unwanted items so they don't end up in landfills, and supports a good cause -- The Salvation Army Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Center.

You've heard the phrase relating to how alcoholics and drug addicts are dealing with sobriety as "on/off the wagon," well that saying goes back to the 1800s when The Salvation Army had horse-drawn wagons going through the streets offering rides to addicts wanting help.  More than 200 years later those efforts continue with all the proceeds from The Salvation Army's thrift stores in southeastern Michigan supporting an independently funded, 180-day residential rehabilitation program that is free to any man or woman desiring to break free from alcohol or drug addiction.  Shopping at these thrift stores transforms people's donations of physical items into revenue to fund the Adult Rehabilitation Center and can also provide shoppers with some great bargains.

Save by the dawn's early light at The Salvation Army Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Center family thrift stores as they celebrate summer with special deals during the non-profit's annual Fourth of July Sale.  Visit any of the 36 Metro Detroit Salvation Army thrift store locations to enjoy 50% off clothing on Monday, July 4, 2016.  Plus there will be great deals on fashion accessories, home goods and other items during surprise bonus sales that will be announced throughout the day.

“The Fourth of July celebrates the independence of our country, and our Fourth of July sale is helping more Americans become independent – from drugs and alcohol,” Merle Miller, administrator of The Salvation Army Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Center, told A Geek Daddy Blog. “By attending the sale and stocking up on summer essentials helps us to help the brave men and women who are facing their addictions at our rehabilitation center.”

Founded by William Booth in London, England, in 1865, The Salvation Army is a faith-based, non-profit organization dedicated to serving people in need without discrimination. The Adult Rehabilitation Center is an integral part of The Salvation Army's mission, and offers substance-abusing adults the opportunity to rebuild their lives through a voluntary, short-term residential self-help program designed to establish a sense of dignity, self-esteem and personal strength that will allow them to resist the desire to abuse a substance and regain their rightful place as contributing members of society. Completely self-funded, the Adult Rehabilitation Center draws its entire operating budget from the revenue of  thrift stores located in Southeast Michigan -- none of the donations from The Salvation Army's well known Holiday Bell Ringers campaign supports this program. Additionally donations to these thrift centers annually recycle or diverts more than 24 million pounds of waste from area landfills. For more information visit www.salarmythrift.com or call 313.965.7760.

Unique Finds & Money Saving Deals Can Be Found Back-to-School Clothes Shopping @ The Salvation Army's Thrift Stores

50% off Labor Day clothing sale 

Second hand clothing stores became popular during the Great Recession years when everyone was trying to save money where ever and how ever they could and the shops have stayed trendy as the economy has improved as a source of unique finds that let people have a more personal touch in selecting their clothing style.  Of course every tween and teen wants to be trendy and have their own unique style so stopping by a thrift store like those run by The Salvation Army with them can be a fun search for great finds and a chance to save some money on back-to-school shopping.  As an extra bonus all of Metro Detroit's 34 Salvation Army Thrift Store locations will be open on Labor Day ( Monday, September 7, 2015 ) and have their clothes discounted an additional 50% off for that one day only.

It's honestly been a few years since I stopped by one of these thrift stores. So when I heard about this special Labor Day promotion, I stopped by to check out what they had to offer for back-to-school shopping.  From the location I visited if you want to pick up some clothes for grade school children at bargain prices you'd be better off heading to a Mom-to-Mom sale or resale shop that specializes in children's clothing; but if you have a tween or teen heading to junior high, high school or college there were plenty of pants, shirts, skirts, dresses and shoes for guys and gals to pick out to suit their own individual styles.  Keep in mind too that I only went to one location out of The Salvation Army's 34 local thrift stores so there may be other sites where they divert more of the children's wear to and of course since they are selling donated items not every location will have exactly the same items to choose from.

All of the donations  to The Salvation Army that stock the store had been sorted through by staff and volunteers so that  only the best of the best made it to the store shelves.  Everything was clean and in great shape with no stains, rips or tears.  Items ranged a whole gambit of styles from conservative Polo branded shirts to some slinky skirts.  There were lots of items that would be considered "vintage" and others that wouldn't stand out in a crowd but would be a bargain to help fill out a wardrobe for the school year.  A visit to a Salvation Army Thrift Store will help a tween or teen with developing their identity by searching for and picking out clothing items that fit their sense of style and make them feel unique.  It will also help people in need as proceeds from these sales fund The Salvation Army's Southeast Michigan Adult Rehabilitation Centers.

These adult rehabilitation centers provide a free 180 day residential treatment program for men and women who are trying to overcome addiction.  The Salvation Army as a religious institution uses a Christian-based program meant not only to deal with a person's addiction but also help them improve the overall state of their body, mind and spirit through individual and group counseling, chemical dependency education, relapse prevention education, bible study, G.E.D. courses, career counseling, and continued follow-up contact after the successful completion of the program.  Proceeds from all of the Metro Detroit Salvation Army Thrift Stores support the continuation of this program so that it can be adequately funded and continue to be provided at no cost to those in need.  The Adult Rehabilitation Centers are completely self-funded and receive their entire operating budget from the revenue generated from these thrift store locations.

Visit any of the 34 Metro Detroit Salvation Army thrift store location to enjoy 50 percent off clothing on Monday, September 7.  Door open at its 32 "Thrift Store" locations from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and its 2 "Dollar Store" locations in Pontiac and Detroit will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  For more information visit SalArmyThrift.com or call 313-965-7760.

Founded by William Booth in London, England in 1865, The Salvation Army is a faith-based, non-profit organization dedicated to serving people in need without discrimination.  The Adult Rehabilitation Centers are an integral part of The Salvation Army's mission by offering substance abusing adults the opportunity to rebuild their lives through a voluntary, short-term residential self-help program designed to establish a sense of dignity, self-esteem and personal strength that will allow them to resist the desire to abuse a substance and regain their rightful place as a contributing member of society.  In 2014, 174 men and 49 women successfully completed the 180 day program.

How Do You Make the World Brighter?

Major Romeo Alip

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas the sight of bell ringers next to a red kettle stationed around the community for The Salvation Army has become an iconic image tied to the holiday season.  The funds raised during The Salvation Army's annual kettle campaign are used to implement change for those in need throughout the year helping to make the world a brighter place.  This has been going on since 1891, when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee placed a kettle at a ferry landing with a sign reading "Keep the Pot Boiling" with the goal of raising money to provide all of San Francisco's destitute and poverty stricken with a free Christmas dinner.  123 years later using a kettle to raise funds to support those in need is a holiday tradition that now assists The Salvation Army in helping more than four and a half million people in the United States each year with a variety of services between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Additionally, the change placed in Salvation Army kettles enable the organization to continue its efforts year round to help those who may otherwise be forgotten.

While an old-fashioned kettle is an important part of enabling The Salvation Army to make the world a brighter place new technology also is a tool that aids its mission.  Alex Paguibitan is a soldier of The Salvation Army who invited SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting along one of his Red Kettle drives to show what it is like to help those who are less fortunate during the holiday season. Alex uses SYLVANIA's SilverStar® ULTRA headlights in his Salvation Army van.  Much of his commute is spent in the dark when improved visibility as a result of whiter, brighter headlights adds precious seconds to a driver’s reaction time making for a safer ride for him, his passengers and other vehicles and pedestrians that may be around him.  Check out Alex's story in this #LightShift video:

To help make one lucky A Geek Daddy Blog reader's life a little brighter, SYLVANIA Automotive Lighting is providing us a pair of  SilverStar® ULTRA headlights, the same one Alex uses in his Salvation Army van.   For a chance to win these headlights you must be a US resident over 18 years old and enter prior to 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday December 31, 2014.  All valid entries will be assigned a number and the winning number will be randomly generated.  You may enter in one or all the following entry manners for a maximum number of 3 possible entries:

UPDATE: Congrats to Stephanie M. from Ohio who won the Sylvania  SilverStar® ULTRA headlights

ENTRY 1:  Visit The Salvation Army website and tell us one of the ways the funds donated in the kettle campaign are used to help others in an e-mail to thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com.  E-mail headline should be: LightShift Contest.  Please include your name and mailing address in your e-mail.

ENTRY 2:  Tweet a #selfie picture of you making a financial donation at a Salvation Army kettle, donating items at a Salvation Army thrift store, or making a purchase at a Salvation Army thrift store to @Geeky_Dad with the hashtag #AGeekDaddy. 

ENTRY 3:  Leave a comment on this blog post explaining how you are going to make the world a brighter place in 2015.

E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.  The selected winner must reply back upon being notified of their selection with the make, model and year of their vehicle so their prize can be fulfilled. 

SYLVANIA SilverStar^® ULTRA headlight bulbs have whiter and brighter light for more clarity. They provide additional side road and down road visibility compared to standard halogen headlight bulbs. They help drivers identify and react sooner to road hazards like debris, animals, disabled vehicles or pedestrians. Just how bright are SYLVANIA SilverStar® ULTRA bulbs?  By providing up to 50% greater brightness compared to worn standard halogen bulbs they can increase visibility down the road by up to 40% and peripheral visibility by up to 50%.  This can equate to as much as 50 to 100 feet more visibility at night - so you can see farther, wider, and better.  Because headlights dim over time, by as much as 20%, it is recommended they be checked once a year and replaced every couple of years.  Always replace your headlights in pairs to ensure an evenly distributed beam pattern.

For more information about SYLVANIA SilverStar^® ULTRA headlight bulbs visit
www.sylvania.com/auto.  Click here for additional SYLVANIA LightShift stories.

For more information about The Salvation Army visit  www.salvationarmyusa.org/

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Weber Shandwick Public Relations is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation for hosting this promotion only the prize that is being awarded to one of our readers for this contest was provided for its participation.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Weber Shandwick provided the content relating to SYLVANIA SilverStar® ULTRA bulb in this post.

This is What GIVING to The Salvation Army Looks Like

Win Fun Prizes While Helping The Salvation Army Make Positive Change for Those in Need by Participating in the #SharetheMostGood Social Media Contest

Three Rochester Michigan area landmarks are joining together this holiday season to help The Salvation Army, a faith-based non-profit organization that helps give hope to people in need, with its 2014 Red Kettle fundraising campaign.  November 12th through December 31, 2014 stop by Meadow Brook Hall, Royal Park Hotel or the Village of Rochester Hills to make a donation to The Salvation Army's Eastern Michigan Division and take a selfie while you are making your gift.  Post your photo on Facebook or Instagram with the caption "This is what GIVING looks like @" tagging the participating venue you are at and including the #ShareTheMostGood hashtag.  Participants will be eligible to win one of three grand prizes:  a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Meadow Brook Hall, a one-night stay and breakfast for two at the Royal Park Hotel or a $150 gift card to the Village of Rochester Hills.

Specific Contest Details

Participants must post a photo giving to Meadow Brook Hall’s toy drive, purchasing a dessert or a gingerbread brick for $10 at the Royal Park Hotel or donating to a red kettle at the Village of Rochester Hills. Submissions must be photographed at one of the three participating locations and then posted to Facebook or Instagram.

Gingerbread House @ the Royal Park Hotel

The post must include #SharetheMostGood and one of the following tags:

• @theVillageofRochesterHills
• @RoyalParkHotel
• @MeadowBrookHallandGarden

Village of Rochester Hills

One winner from each location will be selected at random and announced via Meadow Brook Hall, Royal Park Hotel and Village of Rochester Hills social media on the following dates:

Wednesday, Jan. 7 – The Village of Rochester Hills
Thursday, Jan. 8 – Royal Park Hotel

Friday, Jan. 9 – Meadow Brook Hall

Meadow Brook Hall

Donations to The Salvation Army assist people throughout the year providing food, shelter, and vital human services to those in need across Metro Detroit and throughout Michigan.  Because Need Knows No Season, The Salvation Army provides support to those in need 365 days a year.

For more information about The Salvation Army's Eastern Michigan District visit www.salmich.org or call 877-SAL-MICH.  A donation to The Salvation Army's 2014 Red Kettle campaign is tax deductible.