How to help Lovelady Thrift Store after fire destroys donation trailers

Following an early morning fire at The Lovelady Thrift Store in Clay on Wednesday, May 27, the local community is coming together to help replace a massive loss of donations.

This morning, two 18-wheeler storage trailers packed with donated inventory were intentionally set on fire by a male suspect, the nonprofit posted on Facebook. The blaze resulted in a devastating loss of about $100,000 worth of donated goods, including:

• clothing
• furniture
• household goods

Luckily, no one was injured and neither thrift store building sustained damage.

Both locations remain fully safe, open and operational. However, because the destroyed inventory directly supports the recovery programs, housing and childcare services at The Lovelady Center, the organization needs the community’s help to restock.

In a statement shared online, Lovelady Center leadership expressed deep gratitude for the swift outpouring of local support:

“We are so grateful for the love, concern, support, prayers and calls from our community checking on us today. Thank you for caring so deeply about The Lovelady Center and the women and children we serve.”

Where to drop off donations

The Lovelady Center is actively accepting drop-off donations at both of its area thrift stores during normal business hours. You can bring items to either of the following locations:

• Clay: 2402 Old Springville Road, Center Point, AL 35215
• Irondale: 7720 Ludington Lane, Irondale, AL 35210

Tap here to learn more about the items that The Lovelady Center is seeking and how to donate.

Schedule a pick-up

If you have larger items like furniture or a high volume of goods that you cannot transport yourself, Lovelady is actively scheduling donation pick-ups. You can coordinate a time by calling their donation line at 205-951-9230.

About The Lovelady Center

Based in Birmingham, The Lovelady Center is a faith-based, non-profit organization dedicated to helping women and their children rebuild their lives following challenges with addiction, incarceration, domestic violence and homelessness.

As the nation’s largest long-term recovery program of its kind, the center operates as a “whole-way house,” providing services for more than 400 women and children daily:

• housing
• medical care
• substance abuse counseling
• childcare
• job training

The center focuses on breaking the cycles of poverty and recidivism by ensuring mothers can stay with their children while completing the intensive program.

The revenue generated by its thrift store locations in Clay and Irondale directly funds these essential, wrap-around services and transitional housing programs, making the community’s donation support vital to its daily operations.

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