Sacks Thrift Shoppe in Petaluma is a vital community resource that raises money for hospice grief counseling. People love Sacks because it provides both donors of goods and buyers a place where value is appreciated and quality goods are saved from going straight to landfill. The store is extremely well run by compassionate people and for 40 years has been a destination for volunteers and customers, many of whom have lost loved ones in the hospice system.

A decision has been made by Providence, the ultra-large health care provider, which owns Sacks, to close the store around May 15th because the rented building needs some work to bring it up to Providence corporate workplace standards. This petition implores Providence to find a solution for keeping the store open. The environment of a thrift store is not the same as a healthcare facility and we believe the closing of Sacks is insensitive to the needs of the community. Surely there is a safe and viable solution that does not require the store be permanently closed.

Providence runs over 50 hospitals around the country and employs  more than 120,000 caregivers and 29,000 physicians.  The nonprofit company reported revenue of approximately $28.7 billion in 2023. Sacks Thrift Shoppe is a tiny part of the Providence equation, but a critical component of Downtown Petaluma and the community it serves. Providence lists this as its mission statement:

"As expressions of God's healing love, witnessed through the ministry of Jesus, we are steadfast in serving all, especially those who are poor and vulnerable."

What greater service could there be for the poor and vulnerable than a quality thrift store that allows them to purchase important goods at a fair price?

If you would like to register your thoughts to Providence about the closing of Sacks, you can reach out to the following:

Mary Beth Walker, Communications Director
email: mary.walker3@providence.org
Phone: 206-849-4394. 

By signing this petition, you are taking a stand to preserve a critical resource for the Petaluma community. Your support can make all the difference in keeping Sacks Thrift Shoppe open and continuing its mission to fund life-changing grief counseling services. Let's come together and protect this cornerstone of our community. Please sign and share this petition widely. Together, we can make a difference.