MILES CITY — A new thrift store in Miles City is doing more than selling secondhand goods — it's helping domestic violence survivors rebuild their lives.
The Purpose Collective was opened by Custer Network Against Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault (CNADA), with Angela Dennis and Alyssa Daugherty spending months pulling the store together. The idea grew out of a need to replace lost grant funding and find a sustainable way to support victims and survivors.
Watch what The Purpose Collective is advocating for:
"The idea was just to start the thrift store, be able to provide to victims and survivors things that like we aren't able to because we lost the funding," Dennis said Wednesday.
That lost funding had been critical to the organization's operations.
"It's imperative. It is crucial. We need it. The majority of our services collapse without it," Daugherty said.
The store came together after donations began arriving in overwhelming numbers.
"It started to get to the point where people were donating like so much. Like, we furnished 10 apartments between December and January alone," Dennis said.
So far, well over 1,000 items have been donated, and sales have brought in nearly $2,000 since the soft opening Monday.
"Every purchase made, all of the funds that are made here go back into our victims' unrestricted fund. And those are the funds that the government doesn't have a say on what we can do with that," Dennis said.
The store also restores something less tangible for the people it serves.
"It also allows them to shop, like have their dignity back," Dennis said.
The organization's reach extends well beyond Miles City, covering seven counties.
With just two people serving that wide an area, volunteers are essential to keeping The Purpose Collective running.
"The store wouldn't even be set up without our amazing volunteers," Dennis said.
Volunteer Jennifer Henke has a personal connection to the cause. She witnessed domestic violence as a child.
"When I was a child, my mom had to use services for, she needed to go to a shelter for domestic abuse victims," Henke said.
That experience is what keeps her coming back.
"Just knowing what that was like growing up and seeing my mom dealing with that, I just feel really strongly about wanting to give back," Henke said.
Volunteer Ashley Kalfell is a survivor herself.
"Six years ago, I was almost killed by domestic violence," Kalfell said.
She says the resources available through organizations like this one can be life-changing — and life-saving.
"The resources that they get from agencies like CNADA mean the difference between leaving and not leaving for some people, and that can actually mean the difference between life and death," Kalfell said.
When victims leave dangerous situations, they often leave with nothing.
"They need clothes. They need houseware. They need financial help. They need a home. They need all these things. And CNADA is so great at reaching out and networking and getting these things together," Kalfell said.
Dennis says the organization helps advocate and helps people navigate the legal system. Also, the group helps fill out parenting plans, file motions, advocate with CPS, and provide legal counsel and accompany victims to law enforcement interviews.
Purpose Collective accepts donations around the clock.
"People can donate 24-7. They can put it in our outdoor bin, or they are able to... call us," Dennis said.
