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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Marketplace by Hatching Hope has returned to the city of Alabaster and offers a spot for locals to shop for donated goods all while supporting an organization based around humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

“We’re very excited to be back in Alabaster, back to our home community,” said Jessica Trahan with Hatching Hope.

Hatching Hope itself is a disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization that provides supplies and aid to people who have been displaced from their home due to a fire or other disaster. The 501c3 nonprofit was established in 2016 by Keli Wright and her son, Ashton Wright, after they lost their home in a fire in 2010.

After receiving support from others, the Wrights wanted to pay forward the help they received and established the organization. Ever since, Hatching Hope has worked to provide aid and support to all those in need.

“It is my wish to inspire others to do good, no matter how big, or how small,” read an official quote by Found Director Keli Lynch-Wright on the organization’s website. “And to be kind as often as possible, no matter what. Just imagine the incredible impact we could make in the world, and in the lives of others, if we all come together for the greater good.”

The organization opened The Marketplace in  2018 in Alabaster where it sold goods to raise funds to help others until 2020 when the business moved to Pelham.

Now, after moving back to Alabaster in the latter half of 2023, The Marketplace continues to provide a location for residents to shop for a variety of charitable gifts that have been donated.

“It’s like a discount thrift store where we carry new appliances,” Trahan said. “We have incredible corporate donors, that donate to us brand new items and it’s also where we got a lot of our items for our disaster relief work as well.”

The Marketplace offers various items including, appliances, décor, housewares, bedding, toys, media, games, home improvement tools and equipment, maintenance supplies and more.

“We’ve got a wide variety of stuff and we get new stuff in all the time,” Trahan said.

Hatching Hope has also started an adopt-a-bear program in which they provide children in need that have been displaced by a disaster with a toy bear. People can donate $5 to adopt a bear and then the organization will keep them informed on where the bear goes.

“That’s something fun we just launched, and we’re really excited about it,” Trahan said.

Those interested can sponsor a bear by making a donation in store or on the website HatchingHopeCares.org.

Trahan highlighted the importance of Hatching Hope and  its mission to help others.

“There are so many people that have been displaced due to a fire or other disaster and you don’t really know until you talk to people about it,” Trahan said. “Disaster has no timeline. You never know when it is going to strike. So, having an organization that is local, that serves such a large area as well (and) is prepared for when disaster strike and can bring comfort to so many people—that’s why we do what we do. We’re here, we’re prepared (and) we’re ready to roll.”

Those interested in learning more about The Marketplace by Hatching Hope may visit its website at Marketplacebyhatchinghope.com or its official Facebook page at Facebook.com/marketplacebyhatchinghope.

The Marketplace by Hatching Hope is located in Alabaster at 376 Shady Acres Road and is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.