Yuma community gathers to help local thrift store bounce back

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Hands Extended Thrift Store has now reopened after previously being closed for months due to fire damage.

To kick off their reopening, the community came together to help the small business in a big way.

Even though they had to start from scratch after the fire in June, Hands Extended was still able to find a way to give back to the community by giving donated bikes to children in need.

Karen Lebarron, a Hands Extended Volunteer, says, "This community has been absolutely amazing. They have, they came through with almost 80 bicycles for us. Actually there were 100 bicycles."

She says some of the bicycles donated were beyond repair, but this wasn't a problem for her husband Doug: "If they needed new handle grips or new seats on them or he, he washed them all down, he fixed them and got them all ready to go for the kids."

100 kids from all across Yuma got bicycles.

Priscilla Jimenez, a volunteer and local outreach coordinator was part of this years donation efforts working with a local school and says, "They told me that there was 15 bikes that they had for kids ages 15-18, so I let the counselor know at Woodard and she was so excited."

Hands Extended Thrift store is still looking for volunteers to help them out around the store from things like setting up to being a cashier.

You can go to their location at 13341 S Frontage Rd. to learn more or you can contact them at hand_extended@msn.com