BRADENTON -- Churches and nonprofits are just like many of us when it comes to keeping things, says Steve Wilson, the managing partner of Hide-Away Storage.

“Churches need an infinite amount of storage space,” he said. “There are a lot of nonprofits that need storage, too.

“So we wanted to help and give back to the community at the same time.”

Voila!

Hide-Away Storage, a 10-facility company headquartered in Sarasota with four locations in Manatee County, came up with an offer for any 501(c)3 registered nonprofit organization. They can receive a 40 percent discount on long-term storage or three months of free storage for short-term needs.

“There are many nonprofits who have furniture and other things they want to keep, but they need a place to keep it. Or they do things every year, fundraising events, and they just can’t throw stuff away between annual events,” Wilson said. “They need storage space.”

A number of nonprofits have taken advantage of the offer, he said.

Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

PACE Center for Girls.

The Loving Hands Ministry.

The last is a Christian-based organization in Palmetto that works with young men dealing with drug and alcohol problems.

They’ve been a Hide-Away customer for some time.

“We have limited storage space at our property, so it’s been necessary to rent there,” said Wendell Wilson, founder and executive director. “We being a nonprofit, anything we can save is a help toward the operation of the program. They’ve been very considerate of us.”

The Manatee County Audubon Society, a wildlife conservation group, is another Hide-Away client.

“It gives us a central point to store things so we’re not keeping things all over the place at everybody’s homes,” said treasurer Lucette Wombacher.

“We store our historical documents, extra scopes, tent and display boards ... so when we need them, we can get them right from there.”

Adopt-A-Family of Manatee is yet another Hide-Away patron.

Volunteers are able to shop year-round for Christmas gifts for needy children and store the gifts until they’re distributed in December.

“The reduced rate storage makes it possible,” said Adopt-A-Family officer Kim Duty. “Without it, children would receive much less.”

That nonprofits benefit is good business for Hide-Away as well.

“You have a lot of nonprofits gathering things in a defined period of time and need space, and those nonprofits involve all kinds of people -- people who may decide to use us in the future,” Wilson said.

Vin Mannix, local columnist, can be reached at 745-7055.