We Are a Local Nonprofit You May Not Have Heard About

Our story began back in 1989 as a small church mission with a big heart. It started simply — collecting gently used home goods and clothing from generous people in our community. A few times a year, we’d pack up those donations and drive them down to Jacksonville, Kentucky, one of the most impoverished areas in the United States.

Once there, the donated goods are sold in a local resale shop at affordable prices to anyone in need. But it doesn’t stop there — all profits from the resale shop go directly back into the community. These funds help support vital outreach programs, including:

• School expansion projects

• Health care access and transportation

• Utility and home repair assistance

• Support for the local food pantry

What began as a simple act of generosity has grown into a mission focused on uplifting lives, restoring dignity, and fostering lasting hope — one donation, one family, and one community at a time.

As the need grew, so did our efforts. One trip became three..then monthly. For years, we kept rolling —until the pandemic hit. Covid forced us to pause, and for a while, we feared the work might not start up again. But in 2021, we saw just how deeply the communities we served were still struggling- and we knew we couldn’t walk away.

So we got back on the road.

With the help of dedicated volunteers, we opened our own donation site in Forreston, IL. We now collect donations every Tuesday and Saturday, between 9am & 2 pm. Our team works tirelessly to sort, pack, and load up trucks and trailers, preparing our fleet for transportation. In September 2024, we officially became a nonprofit organization, stepping out from under the church’s umbrella and forming what is now the American Grace Foundation. Not only do we make regular trips to Jacksonville, KY., but thanks to some of our partners like the Salvation Army of Rockford, The Northwest Food Bank of Freeport, The Forreston Food Bank & Community Center, we have been able to expand our reach to other areas of poverty and disaster relief in the United States. With that, we have not forgotten about our own community. Over the years, we have helped over 60 families locally and will continue to offer our help and support to anyone in need.

Since then, we’ve made 27 trips - over 500 miles each way - to bring relief, dignity, and hope to people who need it most. And we’re just getting started.