After 50-plus years of service to the community, the next chapter for the Open Door Mission, located at 425 North Ave. in Owego, N.Y., starts off looking a little brighter.
The Mission recently completed a “Go Green” project. The facility underwent a transformation during the week of Feb. 18 when nine exterior lights and numerous indoor fixtures, along with exit signs, were replaced with LED lighting.
It all started when a man utilizing the Mission’s shelter, and who happened to be an experienced electrician, suggested to Donna Jantz, assistant director, that the lighting should be replaced with LED due to its age and energy inefficiency.
Jantz researched all of the available options and was subsequently approved for the NYSEG Energy Saver Program for businesses. According to the service provider, more than 30,000 businesses have upgraded, and in turn save on their bottom line.
A project totaling close to $14,000, the Mission will chip in about a third of that cost. Overall, it’s a win-win going forward for the environment as well as for the Mission, who will see annual energy cost savings of $5,000 or more.
When you walk through the front door at the Mission’s thrift store, the lights are crisp and welcoming.
“It’s wonderful,” Jantz commented, adding, “The transition took about three days to complete.”
The Open Door Mission invites the public to an Open House on Thursday, March 21 from 3 to 6 p.m. to see the positive upgrades. Tours will be given and refreshments will be available.
A non-profit, the Open Door Mission supports its homeless shelter and all of its outreach programs through the proceeds from its two thrift stores, as well as from grants and other private donations.
From its humble beginnings in 1968 as a homeless shelter, the Open Door Mission expanded its warehouses and added a food pantry, and also opened The Red Door in Waverly, which serves as a combined thrift store and community center for addiction recovery. Additional food pantries in Lockwood and Waverly have since been opened.
The Lockwood pantry is located inside the Lockwood United Methodist Church at 95 Church St. and is open each Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Behind the Red Door thrift store at 359 Broad St. in Waverly, a food pantry for seniors aged 60 or older is open on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Open Door Mission and the Red Door accept various donations for their thrift stores. To learn more, including hours of operation, find both on Facebook and Twitter, or visit https://theopendoormission.com/about.
For questions, contact the Mission at (607) 687-1121 or the Red Door at (607) 249-6062.
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