A thrift store is doing its part to help the community

First Street Thrift in Idaho Falls is open and serving the community during the pandemic.

"If it wasn't for the community, we couldn't exist, and the other way around," Executive Director of the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission, Tyler Perkins said. "We have to exist to have a healthy community."

Just like other stores, the Rescue Mission has taken steps to limit the virus.

"We've got all the basic precautions that you see everywhere else," Perkins said. "To the barrier between you and the cashier, masks, hand sanitizers, signs up telling you to mask up. If you don't have one, of course, we have some."

The store has closed for a short time due to employees having symptoms of the virus. Perkins says they have gone through plenty of Clorox wipes due to donations being up.

"You know we're doing like everybody else we're doing everything we can to be cautious, but not closed down. Closing down is just hurting everybody so much. "

The rescue mission hopes to gather more volunteers to help out with various services. If you are interested visit their website.

"This happens to be one of the only programs in our mission where, if we can get the community to support us financially then we'll have some revenue and every penny of that dumps back into our programs with the mission," Perkins said. "We're just trying to make it a really fun experience for people. Something a little bit different than your regular thrift store."