WATERLOO, N.Y. — An outpouring of community support has swelled after a devastating fire that took place on Main Street in the village of Ovid last month. Several organizations and agencies have been assisting victims in any way they can.  

This support comes through the collection of items such as clothing, toys, furniture and food. All of this is causing an overflow for local businesses to distribute thousands of items.  

What had started with just a few boxes and bags has turned into thousands.

What You Need To Know

  • United Way of Seneca County hosts a pop-up thrift store in the Finger Lakes Premium Outlets dedicated for Ovid fire victims

  •  The pop-up shop is helping not only the victims but even organizations that have been inundated with donations

  • The pop up thrift store will be open to the general public from Feb. 26 to March 2. The community will be allowed to fill a bag for $5, having all proceeds go back to the Ovid fire victims

“Everything we do is collaboration,” United Way of Seneca County executive director Rhonda Jasper said. “Everything we try to do is encouraging people to talk and coordinate. So this is what we do. I have the most amazing team ever. It's amazing to see what a small community can do. But this is the best part of living in a small community.”

A small community that includes volunteers like Karen Burcroff and Sarah Smolinski quickly transformed an empty space at Finger Lakes Premium Outlets into a pop-up thrift store in the span of three hours. Residents can collect essential items free of cost.

“What started as a thrift store down in Ovid when the fire happened, they set up at the VFW and an overabundance of donations came in,” United Way of Seneca County youth coordinator Sarah Smolinski said. “They're still coming in. We took that idea and moved it up here to the north to allow the north end of the county to shop as well and get more donations out to those in need.”

Alleviating the overflow of donations from other organizations, United Way of Seneca County has been assisting with the abundant amount of items donated to the victims of the Ovid fire. 

“We would’ve had more than two storage containers,” United Way of Seneca County Coalition project director Karen Burcroff said. “The VFW said, ‘We can't take anymore,’ but people's businesses still have a collection. And we want to make sure that those who donated it go to the cause.”

Allowing victims to have first and free access to the store.

“We have a lot of men's, women's and children's clothing,” Smolinski said. “Obviously, lots of shoes, donations of all sizes. We want to get the stuff out, but we also want to raise as much money as we can for overhead to be able to rebuild.”

Although its organizers have stopped accepting items, monetary donations are still top of mind.

“Fifteen people that are displaced from their homes, but we've got another 65 or so that are unemployed now because of the loss of the businesses,” Jasper said. “So monetarily, we can help people with, you know, whether it's utilities or rent, deposit, whatever, however we can help.”

They are clearing their closet and rising from the ashes together.

“I was born and raised in Seneca County, I'm raising my daughter here,” Jasper said. “So to be able to do this kind of work, working as a team, collaboration, the players I know, I mean, we're working to improve the protective factors literally in our home. There's no better match.”

The pop-up thrift store will be open to the general public from Feb. 26 to March 2. The community will be allowed to fill a bag for $5, having all proceeds go back to the Ovid fire victims. 

Its organizers are looking to have volunteers help organize, set up and run the store throughout the week. For additional information, people can reach out to Sarah at sarah@uwseneca.org.