CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — After four years of helping the community, Rising Tide Ministries is saving and fundraising to buy their building which they’ve been renting.
When you first walk into Rising Tide Ministries, it looks like an ordinary resale shop, selling clothes, knickknacks and bigger items.
Their purpose for running the business is so much greater.
“The resale shop came first with vision of the classroom and that helped generate the funding to do this,” said owner, Lisa Gerdes.
In the same building, Rising Tide Ministries built a $200,000 classroom with the help of a grant awarded to them by the City of Corpus Christi.
They purchased desks, computers, and the tools any student would need to succeed.
“We are able to allow people to come and use the computers for things like job search, applying for benefits,” Gerdes said.
That’s in addition to the free classes offered during the week.
Teaching skills like how to use Microsoft and Excel or learning English as a second language. Gerdes said everyday they’re open someone comes in with a need.
“It’s all about what can we do for members in the community to live their best life,” she said.
Gerdes adds, in today’s culture if you don’t have computer skills your almost unemployable.Eleanor Draiss is one the newest students at Rising Tide Ministries who is working on her resume.
“I knew this is a resource center for that and that’s why I came, and I was able to do that,” said Draiss.
“By buying this building it will enable us to continue to serve the community,” Gerdes said.
To help make this happen people can shop in the resale store or donate gently used household items, clothes, or furniture.
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