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Meredith’s Miracles Thrift Store thrives in the local community because it helps families in need and offers several items with a leadership team that takes pride in its roles.

Aylish Parker serves as the store manager and is the director of the Retail Donation Program. Mandy Hutto, who was hired in January of 2024, is the assistant manager.

“The team at Meredith’s Miracles is unparalleled, and I couldn’t ask for a better group of individuals. Their dedication to their work is truly a blessing,” Meredith’s Miracles Executive Director Kiley Spears said.

Parker had not worked in retail before Meredith’s Miracles. Hutto’s previous retail experience came when she worked at Family Dollar as a teenager.

A native of Mattoon, Illinois, Aylish is married to her husband Keith with a son, Matthew.

“I began volunteering for Meredith’s Miracles several years ago and did that before I moved. I came back and have been here a little over two years now but worked for about eight or nine months before that,” Parker said.

Originally from Evergreen, Mandy is married to her husband Curtis with four children and two grandchildren.

“I started working at the thrift store a little over a year ago and love my job. The staff at Meredith’s Miracles noticed the little things I did like sweeping a pile of dirt on the floor. Without having to tell me to do something, I would just do it. I have always worked hard and taken initiative. I left seven years of working at Shaw to come here and do not regret it. The pay scales are different, but it’s the appreciation that goes so far. The little things we do make a huge difference, and that’s why I love to be here,” Hutto said.

For Parker and Hutto, working for a non-profit organization is different than other jobs.

“It means a lot to work for Meredith’s Miracles because it’s not a clock-in, clock-out type of job. It’s always in your heart and mind when you go home but is not as stressful. It makes a huge difference to know sweeping the floor makes a thrifter feel good to be in a clean environment. They make a purchase that helps the children out, so it’s a labor of love and very rewarding,” Parker said.

“I agree with Aylish 100 percent because I have always wanted to help others. At times, you see people struggling and want to help with money but don’t have it. When you come to a place like Meredith’s Miracles, doing something as small as volunteering makes you feel good about yourself,” Hutto said.

According to the 2024 Meredith’s Miracles End-of-Year Impact, 407 families were served through 1,397 cases in 27 Alabama counties. As of last June, a total of $270,321 was funded.

“The Bible says more blessed when you give than receive. I began volunteering when my son was too young to get a job, but he was old enough to learn the value of volunteering without getting anything back. My child has never been sick, and these families go through things I’ll never know about. I wanted to show my son that if we are healthy, we should be doing something to give back and help others,” Parker said.

“I was a single mom for a long time, and my kids had some health issues growing up. If I had only known about Meredith’s Miracles, it would have helped so much. Now, I try to push others and tell them we are here to help and do not want to see you struggle,” Hutto said.

Parker’s duties include overseeing operations of the thrift store, leading the Retail Donation Program, and posting on the Meredith’s Miracles social media pages.

“I make sure our staff is in a good place with a mindset that they are good. We are blessed with a lot of donations, and I try to make sure everyone is taken care of and not stressed. If they have something personal come up, I let them know to stop and take care of that. Customer service is really important at Meredith’s Miracles because we cannot do what we do without the customers. The thrift store is now our main source of income for funding for the children,” Parker said.

Hutto’s roles include overseeing the customer experience, training and development of the store’s staff, and assisting in the management of inventory.

“Whether it’s assisting Aylish or the other ladies in the store or office, we all work well together. I will run this register or go through clothes just as much as the others do. We have different personalities but mesh so well together. I love it when our ideas come together. The minute I interviewed here, I was praying I would get this job because they made me feel so welcome. We always check on each other outside of the store and are like a family here,” Hutto said.

Meredith’s Miracles Thrift Store is located at 408 S. Three Notch St. in Andalusia and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Aylish actively collaborates with various businesses to encourage them to donate their clearance items or surplus inventory to our thrift shop. Last year, the program experienced significant growth, establishing connections with numerous businesses across all the counties we serve. If your business is interested in supporting our initiative, please reach out to Aylish. Her outstanding leadership has been instrumental in the expansion of our thrift store, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her on our team,” Spears said.

“Mandy is focused and on point with our mission. She is very organized, dependable, reliable, and a great problem solver. Each day, she proves she was the right choice for the position as the assistant manager,” Parker said.

For more information visit the Meredith’s Miracles and Meredith’s Miracles Thrift Store Facebook pages.