SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Creative Reuse Marketplace in Springfield is the definition of organized chaos, but a perfect place to find your creative supplies and ideas.
The shop is a small nonprofit that not only provides a way of reusing products and materials but also gives a space for education and job training for low income, unemployed, and homeless women.
Michelle Popp is the manager at the store and was one of the first people to participate in the store's workforce development program. She hopes to help with the program in the future so she can inspire other women who went through similar experiences.
"I just want to be like everybody else was with me and gave me a chance and stood by me," said Popp. "They supported me and were right there. If I, you know, was thinking anything different or starting to go backwards, they were right there."
The store carries all of the stuff you might need for any creative projects including pencils, paint, and paper. They also have more unique items, like puzzle pieces and bottle caps.
"A customer came in and they basically looked at the store and all this stuff and they said that they were pleasantly overwhelmed, in the sense of it does look like a hoarders paradise, but it's an organized hoarders paradise," said Adena Rivas, the director and co-founder of The Creative Reuse Marketplace.
Everything you can find in store is donated by the community so trash can get a second life. Rivas is the manager of the waste and recycling division for the City of Springfield. She says this work is what inspired her to start the Marketplace.
Right now, the Creative Reuse Marketplace is hosting an online, holiday auction. This includes the best items that are donated throughout the year. The goal is to raise money for operating costs and the workforce program. To participate in the auction, click this link.
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