But for the founders of The Giving Tree, it was more like, “Frustration is the mother of invention.”

They all had the shared experience of putting significant effort into school fundraisers that yielded little monetary reward for the schools. As PTO members, parents, and school volunteers, they were able to see firsthand how much work goes into annual fundraising programs so that their schools raise the additional monies needed for educational, enrichment, and extracurricular activities for students.

This led them on a search for alternative ways to raise money for their schools. One of the successful business models that came to their attention was the “Non-Profit Resale Thrift Store.” Through the resale of donated goods, these stores are able to earn money for their causes of choice. The model was profitable and sustainable, so they thought; why not try something like this here in Wake Forest?

With a lot of hard work and a few garages full of donations to get things started, the dream become a reality and our own community Giving Tree opened its doors in August of 2013. The store is located at 839 South Main Street in a renovated home-turned retail store.

They decided to move beyond the traditional thrift-shop environment by creating a boutique environment that showcases how you can “bring once-loved home goods back life.” In the store you don’t have to “sift through junk to get to the good stuff.” Everything in the store is the good stuff at great prices.