Community Thrift Store
Our Community Thrift Store is one of our main outreaches to the Highland Park neighborhood.
The first floor of our building houses our thrift store, which provides clothing, home furnishings, and more at community-affordable prices that grant our neighbors the satisfaction of purchasing items for themselves and their families. All profits from the thrift store are invested right back into the community through the NOC’s various ministries. Most importantly, our thrift store allows us to practically connect with our neighbors daily. Through the store, we can meet relational and spiritual needs in addition to physical ones. It is not unusual for one of our regulars to stop by, not with the intention of shopping, but rather to socialize or ask for advice. Our customers feel safe in our store and know that the store volunteers will always welcome them with a smile, a listening ear, a loving hand, and a prayer lifted to the Lord on their behalf.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see our current sale items! Check out our “Get Involved” page to see what donations we accept.
Store Hours: Mon-Fri: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 1st and 3rd Saturday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Food Pantry
The Highland Park community is a known food desert, and 17% of households in Richmond receive food stamps compared to the national and state rates of 13% and 9.4%, respectively. [1] Our food pantry plays a vital role in sustaining the well-being of our neighbors from month to month.
As a registered partner of FeedMore, we distribute food monthly on the third (sometimes fourth) Saturday from 9 am to 11 am. Highland Park residents who have registered with us and meet the federal poverty standards may receive food for free. The entrance to the food pantry is our back lobby doors which are accessed from the parking lot behind our building.
With the help of volunteers and donations, The NOC Food Pantry serves approximately 60 families in our community. On the third Thursday of every month, volunteers prepare bags for distribution the following Saturday. Additional volunteers are required for distribution on the third (sometimes fourth) Saturday.
For more information on receiving and applying for services, please call 321-3182.
For more information on this ministry or to volunteer, please contact us.
[1] Statistical Atlas, “Food Stamps by Place in Virginia” (2023). https://statisticalatlas.com/state/Virginia/Food-Stamps#figure/place
Men of Purpose
Men of Purpose is a mentorship program that equips men to become kingdom-minded leaders in both their families and communities.
Godly leadership at the head of the family increases the likelihood for the rest of the family to experience the love of Christ. Titus 2:2 defines a righteous man as “temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance” (NIV). The path to righteousness becomes easier to navigate in the company of brothers. Men of Purpose was created to aid men who are struggling with how to become better men, husbands, and fathers, or are healing from past trauma or addiction. Join us as we seek, in Christ, the answers to our uncertainties and healing from our wounds.
Newcomers are welcome at any time. We meet every Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Community Room upstairs at the NOC (3080 Meadowbridge Rd).
Interested? Fill out our contact form.
The Christmas Store
The joy of holiday gift-giving is an empowering experience for parents and guardians as they purchase presents for their little ones. The NOC’s Community Christmas Store makes this fulfillment accessible to the parents/guardians of Highland Park by pricing presents more affordably. Each parent/guardian is allowed to purchase two gifts per child, and we offer free gift wrapping. Refreshments are served in a cheerful environment, and a designated prayer area is available to those who need it.
The Community Christmas Store is a seasonal retail ministry that collects donations of new toys and sells them to our Highland Park neighbors at 80% off the listed retail price.
Takin’ It to the Streets
Our goal for this event is to inspire friendship between neighbors by sharing a free meal, music, and encouragement through God’s Word, prayer, and the unlimited love of Christ. The event begins at 6 p.m. and usually ends around 7:30 p.m. The NOC hosts the cookout outside our building at 3080 Meadowbridge Rd.*
The kick-off for Summer will be May 24th, 2024
*In the event of inclement weather on any of the above dates, Takin’ It to the Streets will be postponed to the following Friday*
Takin’ It to the Streets is a community cookout hosted on the 4th Friday of every month (weather permitting) from April to October.