Laurie W., a mother of six, proudly calls herself “a business owner, but with a mission.” It’s an apt summary of Reflections of Trinity, a nonprofit that raises funds through a brick-and-mortar thrift store and eBay store front.

The store’s sales make it possible for the Atlanta-based Reflections of Trinity to distribute approximately 4 million pounds of food each year and provide assistance to roughly 8,000 individuals monthly. In the past 12 years, Reflections of Trinity has provided an estimated 13 million pounds of food to more than 585,000 people.

“I can’t tell you how satisfied it makes me feel to know that we have consistently changed lives over the long haul,” she said.

Reflections of Trinity is one of 225,000+ nonprofits enrolled in the eBay for Charity program. The program raised nearly $162 million globally for thousands of charities in 2023 and $1.3 billion since its launch in 2003.

Early eBay Adopter

Reflections of Trinity began as a small thrift store based in Powder Springs, Georgia. It was both a self-sustaining business and a resource center where people in crisis could receive food. Recognizing the financial limitations of an “off- the-beaten-path” brick-and-mortar store, Laurie sought to expand its reach. Over one-third of eBay sellers have a brick-and-mortar store alongside their online shop. In 2005, Laurie and a volunteer launched a Reflections of Trinity storefront on eBay.

In those early days, every night after she put her children to bed, Laurie went to her basement and taught herself how to use eBay. With the support of her community's donations, she eventually built her eBay business to 1,500 items and hired her very first employee. In 2005, there were limited resources for sellers looking to grow a business, but Laurie says things have changed. eBay has invested billions in new innovations to benefit its buyers and sellers, such as AI selling tools, platform integrity mechanisms and improved algorithms.

“Today they’ve got all kinds of tutorials and eBay seller schools,” Laurie said. “There’s so many tools to teach brand new people how to do it, and they have automated programs through artificial intelligence that help to guide new sellers in what to do and how to do it.”

Since launching her eBay store, Laurie has been able to harness the power of online commerce to subsidize her charity work: the revenue generated from eBay funds her food pantry, ensuring that she and her colleagues can continue to provide services to the community. Laurie’s eBay storefront has sold about 89,000 items to date and boasts a 99.6% positive feedback rating.

Making an Impact

Reflections of Trinity’s scope has even extended beyond Georgia. The nonprofit now supports an orphanage in Barakhani, Kenya, and provides aid to a hospital in one of Haiti's most troubled districts. Laurie takes pride in witnessing significant milestones, such as an entire class of orphans graduating after receiving support throughout their education.

Since 2006, the organization has also responded to disasters in neighboring states, supplying bottled water and hygiene products to those in need. Additionally, she serves over 1,100 seniors monthly and provides weekend meals for over 320 at-risk students.

Reflections of Trinity’s latest new program is a benefits office, where community members can apply for food assistance and other government programs outside of regular government hours. The majority of the people Reflections of Trinity serve are the working poor, making the elongated hours critical.

Finding a Supportive Community

As a self-described introvert, Laurie says eBay has allowed her to reach a wider audience without the stress of traditional fundraising or competing marketplaces. She appreciates that eBay has been a consistent partner to them.

“eBay has always been a platform that is seller-focused. They don’t compete with their sellers,” Laurie noted. “I don’t have a fear that I am going to introduce a product, that they are going to catch on that it's a quick seller and they’re going to, with their power, leverage that and compete with me. So that’s a very important thing to note.”

It is not just the platform that supports businesses, but other sellers too. As Thanksgiving approaches, eBay sellers and employees will gather to support Laurie's Thanksgiving drive, providing meals for families in need.