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Seconds Count Thrift Store celebrates raising $3 million for Headwaters

November 12, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A local thrift store is celebrating a major milestone after raising more than $3 million in support of Headwaters Health Care Centre through its ongoing fundraising efforts.

Seconds Count Thrift Store, located at 127 Broadway in Orangeville, marked the achievement on Nov. 6 with a cheque presentation attended by representatives from the Headwaters Health Care Foundation, Dufferin–Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, and Orangeville Mayor Lisa Raeburn.

The milestone represents more than a decade of community support, with the store directing proceeds from its donated merchandise toward equipment purchases, technology and enhanced patient care at the local hospital.

Headwaters Health Care Foundation CEO K.C. Carruthers thanked the store for its continued support for the hospital, which relies on fundraising to acquire some of its essential hardware.

“Crossing the $3 million mark is an extraordinary accomplishment and a testament to what is possible when a community comes together with a shared purpose,” said K.C. Carruthers, CEO of Headwaters Health Care Foundation. “Seconds Count has become an essential pillar of support for local health care and an incredible driver of philanthropy in our community… We are profoundly grateful to the volunteers whose passion and commitment have made this milestone possible. Thrift shop work is truly life-saving work.”

Store volunteer Judy Andrews said that the store was established in 2013 following the success of a garage sale organized the previous year by the president of the Headwaters Healthcare Auxiliary.

“Back in 2012, the president of the Headwaters Healthcare Auxiliary decided to have a garage sale, and he collected things from the hospital employees, doctors, nurses, everybody, and his friends,” she said.

“The sale was so successful, he thought, ‘Well, this should work for a store,’ So he then spent a year visiting stores around Ontario that did what he was thinking about doing, mainly the thrift stores that supported hospitals. Then we set out on a search for a store and finally found this one and leased it for the hospital, for the auxiliary. We started advertising, and one thing led to another.”

Today, the store operates with the support of 73 volunteers, with all merchandise sold coming from community donations.

Orangeville Mayor Lisa Raeburn congratulated the store, commending the dedication of its all-volunteer staff for the dedication they share in supporting the local community.

“Three million dollars is an incredible milestone,” she said. “What I love most is what that number represents. The number of volunteers and their hours given, the generous donations and the community that continues to show up for one another by shopping there regularly. Headwaters Health Care Centre touches all of our lives in some way, and the amazing people behind Seconds Count are making a real difference in local health care. I’m so grateful for everything they do for our community.”

Jones, who’s also Ontario’s minister of health and deputy premier, congratulated those who support Seconds Count.
“This donation could not have happened without the hundreds of donors and volunteers who work to make Seconds Count the unique shopping experience it is,” Jones said. “From their kindness and gratitude when you make a donation to the thoughtful ways they design and decorate the store.”

Among its contributions to Headwaters Health Care Centre, Seconds Count has helped fund an $800,000 commitment toward the hospital’s MRI equipment, spread over three years as part of a larger $1 million commitment. Other purchases have included 35 wheelchairs, portable X-ray equipment and, more recently, six chemotherapy chairs.

The store has also recently contributed funding toward a mini C-arm X-ray system, which allows medical staff to obtain immediate digital imaging in patient rooms and operating rooms, as well as a detector for portable X-ray equipment.

Beyond its fundraising contributions, the store has developed into a community gathering place, attracting regular customers who visit to shop, socialize and spend time with friends.

On a typical busy Saturday, the store can welcome approximately 150 purchasing customers, with an average transaction of around $20.

Andrews said the milestone celebration represents the work of the volunteers, but also the continued generosity of customers and donors who supply the merchandise that keeps the operation running.

“It was a lovely experience, and because we’ve worked hard on this, it’s so nice to get the recognition and the appreciation,” she said. “I want to say thank you because we would not exist without our customers who buy our product, but our donors too. They think of us when they’re cleaning out their homes. They think of us when their parents may have passed away, and they need to clean out the house, they bring the things to us, and we would not exist without continued support.”

Whether people are purchasing items or donating belongings while clearing out their homes, that ongoing community involvement has been central to the store’s success.

With more than $3 million now raised for local health care, Seconds Count continues to demonstrate how a community-supported operation can make a lasting contribution to hospital services in the region.

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