The unemployment rate among refugees is staggering. Without American job references, fluent English, and connections to the community, refugees struggle to find employment. If a refugee finds work, the type of employment usually limits refugees’ chances for economic and career mobility. Employment also limits a refugee’s ability to continue their English education or other types of schooling due to limited work schedules. These difficulties amount to many employment hardships for refugees in Spokane.

Upon arrival to the U.S., most refugees have very few belongings, making it difficult to create safe and familiar home environments in a new place. With the help of the local resettlement agency, World Relief, refugees receive an initial assortment of household items. Cultural assimilation and the changing of seasons result in additional living expenses. Without access to low-cost goods, life for refugees in Spokane can be even more difficult. Global Neighborhood Thrift works to balance the pressing needs of refugees while, at the same time, empowering them. Global Neighborhood Thrift is working to alleviate the employment and physical needs of refugees in Spokane. Our employment training has been developed for lower-level English speakers, and will allow refugees to gain access to education for skills they need for employment, both at our thrift store and at other businesses in the future. Our low-cost goods will also provide a means through which refugees, and other community members, have access to affordable and quality items. Through the immense generosity, belief, and support of local churches, community members, and businesses, Global Neighborhood Thrift continues to thrive in Spokane.

History

Global Neighborhood Thrift opened its doors in July 2011, having trained and employed two refugees to help run the store. As a response to the growing needs of refugees in our city for employment, Global Neighborhood started Global Neighborhood Thrift. Global Neighborhood Thrift is a subsidiary of Global Neighborhood, a local non-profit working to foster a thriving refugee community in the name of Jesus.

Our Values

Humility

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. – Philippians 2. We seek to follow the model of Jesus by humbling ourselves and coming alongside refugees to serve and learn from them. We view refugees as our equals and fight continually against our society’s belief that some people are better than others.

Empowerment

The answer to poverty and pain is not charity. The answer lies in giving people access to the tools and skills they need to strengthen themselves and their community. Though this is difficult, we believe that charity only creates dependency and despair while empowerment creates strength and growth.

Advocacy

We seek to amplify the voice of the refugee community so they can be heard. As immigrants, not-yet- citizens, and non English speakers refugees are easily ignored by our society. Our goal is to empower the refugee community, but until that fully happens, we seek to stand up and advocate for their well-being – especially in areas where they are powerless and unheard.

Relationship

Relationships affect every part of a person’s life. They have the power to be incredibly transformational. We seek to invest the time, energy, and resources that are necessary to build these relationships, trusting that they will impact refugees, ourselves, and the community

The Whole Person

People are complex. Each of us is a combination of emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational all at once. That means that every person has a lot of good and a lot of struggle. We strive to celebrate and cultivate the many wonderful gifts each individual has while at the same time working together to address whatever needs they might have – in every area of their life. One of the values of Global Neighborhood is empowerment. Empowerment is the act of teaching people to do things for themselves. Global Neighborhood has found that the answer to poverty and pain is not charity, but rather giving people access to the tools and skills they need to strengthen themselves and their community.