By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
The Community Assistance Center hosted a garage sale on Tuesday, selling clothes, books and household items for underserved families around the Ellis County area. The sale is part of the Center’s effort to help the community and takes place from 8-11 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month.
The Community Assistance Center hosts a garage sale for families across Ellis County selling household items. 
Items at sale at the center were donated by the community during the Center’s business hours. 
Families from various backgrounds come to the Center for essential items like clothes and food. 
Underserved individuals like single parents and seniors shop at the Center. 
Bob Berens marks down meals inside the Food Pantry. 
Food that was on sale at the Center was donated by the Eagle Scouts of America. 
Food items can be purchased during the garage sale.
Garage sales have been part of the Center’s operation since 1984.
“It’s very important,” Director Theresa Hill said. “Our clients can shop and get food [from the food pantry] six times a year for free, and our garage sales help us buy more of those items.”
People of various backgrounds come to the sales for the items they need, including seniors and single parents.
“We get single men and women raising kids,” Hill said. “We got three guys who raise their own children and seniors who live off less than $1,000 a month.”
All items sold through the garage sale are donated to the Center during business hours.
“One guy from the Eagle Scouts came and donated all this food last Saturday,” Hill said. “It was 2400 pounds plus $700. People give money because we have only two major food drives a year: the Trick-or-Treat in October and Mail Carriers in May. During the holidays, we get the [elementary] school, high school, and junior high kids who bring them in buses.”
The Community Assistance Center has become a hotbed for families facing economic hardship amid rising inflation.
“We had a lot of them over the summer since everything’s so expensive,” Hill said. “When school is out, we get a lot more people coming through here even when schools have all their food pantries to give to kids.”
Donations can be dropped off at the Center at 1108 Oak St between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. More information can be found at hayscac.com.