“There’s a new store in Johnson that sells just about everything.
From aspirin to Army boots and clothes to wheelchairs, customers can find it at JP’s Promising Goods.
“We’ve got everything in there,” said store co-owner Greg Tatro. “People keep coming in and saying, ‘You really do have everything.'”
Everything in the surplus store is new, with shipments coming every few weeks.
Greg co-owns the store with his wife, Dawn, who has a connection to one of the country’s largest overstock buyers which allows them to keep the money made in sales under the umbrella of their nonprofit: Jenna’s Promise.
“It’s all people in recovery working (at JP’s Promising Goods),” Greg Tatro said.
Jenna’s Promise was founded in honor of Jenna Tatro, Dawn and Greg’s daughter, who died of an opiate overdose in 2019.
Since then, the nonprofit has grown to include the surplus store, safe and sober housing, a community space that was converted from an old Catholic church where people in recovery can attend meetings and soon there will also be a coffee shop, which will also be staffed by people in recovery.
“Everything is walkable and that’s really what needs to happen because if it’s close and walkable people are going to take advantage of it,” Greg Tatro said.
The Tatro’s have plans to rent out the community space to businesses. A state-of-the-art projector has been installed in the former sanctuary, complete with a new sound system. The nonprofit plans to host community movie nights there.
The basement of the former church is being renovated to include a new community kitchen and fitness center, which will be free for people in recovery. It will also have a play space, where mothers in recovery can drop their children off to attend sobriety meetings.
The program is designed to cover the cost of housing for people accepted into the residential program. Once they’ve graduated out of the structured residential program, they have the option to move into an apartment above the nonprofit’s coffee shop. The goal is to help people in recovery save money in order to eventually find permanent housing.
The Tatro’s said the program’s model has received accolades from people all over, including Sen. Patrick Leahy.
Staff members said the program, which has helped about 80 people, is life-changing.
“This whole mission is very personal for Dawn and Greg. They’ve definitely walked this road (to recovery) with Jenna, so I think they understand what people are going through,” said Olivia McGovern, who works for the nonprofit…”
View the whole story here: https://www.mynbc5.com/article/new-surplus-store-in-johnson-supports-nonprofit-that-helps-people-in-recovery/36344904