The soul of the Do Gooders Thrift Store

Last year was a challenging time for this community and everyone in the U.S. as we faced the Coronavirus pandemic and all of the struggles that accompanied it. However, one of the organizations in Fallbrook that has worked to serve the community and assist families in any way possible during this time is the Welcome Back Foundation.

The Welcome Back Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was established in October 2019 by veteran and longtime Fallbrook resident Dawn Williams. It is dedicated to assisting people going through hard times, whether they may be facing economic problems, health issues, homelessness, or natural disasters.

After owning and running multiple thrift stores, Williams wanted to serve the community one step further with the Welcome Back Foundation, and she opened the Do Gooders Thrift Store thrift store in May of 2020 before relocating to its current location in September 2020.

Julie Miller, the press liaison for the Do Gooders Thrift Store thrift store, said that one of the most unique aspects of Do Gooders is the involvement within the community and the "no-shame shopping" policy.

"Do Gooders is all about helping those in need, no matter what the circumstance," said Miller. "Dawn's no-shame shopping system allows people in need to pick out up to 15 items of clothing for free without being singled out. Other shoppers don't know if you're there to spend $200 or if you're getting items for free."

"That's the magic of Do Gooders, it's nobody's business but yours. There's no shame."

Do Gooders has helped all types of people with different circumstances in the community, but one situation that stood out to Williams and Miller was when a man walked into the store, obviously in distress. His pants were too large and didn't fit right, so they had been falling down in public and he was worried that he was scaring other residents.

"He asked the employees for one thing. A belt," Miller said. "We immediately found him a belt and helped him for free, he just wanted people to respect him and that belt made a huge difference for him."

Another case that stood out was when an employee met a homeless man in Vista. It had been a cold day, and the man had no blankets, no coat, and nothing to keep him warm. The employee came back to Fallbrook and put together a care package for him. The package included a blanket, a jacket, and shoes. Then, he drove all the way back to Vista to deliver the package. This employee went out of his way to help someone in need, no one asked him to. That is the spirit of Do Gooders.

The employees at the Do Gooders Thrift Store have all been inspired by Williams and her determination to help people.

"She sees a need and fills it," said Miller. "She has a drive to help everyone, no matter what their emergency because every emergency is different."

In the future, Williams said she hopes to expand the Do Gooders Thrift Store nationwide. She has seen high need communities all over California and the U.S., and her goal is to serve these communities through Do Gooders. The store in Fallbrook is serving as the pilot, and this allows Williams to experiment and see what works for the organization. Then, she would like to expand her business and help people nationwide.

Do Gooders Thrift Store has given back to the community in many different ways, including a Christmas "Giving" tree where they gave free gifts to children in need, donating to families that have lost loved ones, partnering with charities, and much more.

"For the staff, Do Gooder's isn't just a name; it isn't just a slogan, it's in their souls" said Miller. "They live and breathe the business name. They are all Do Gooders."

To learn more about the Welcome back Foundation and the Do Gooders Thrift Store, visit https://welcomebackfoundation.org/.