Bargain hunters can visit more than 10 Contra Costa County thrift stores through Tuesday, August 18, collecting stickers and competing for $275 in gift cards as part of the first East Bay Thrift Store Crawl.

Joybound People & Pets, the Walnut Creek-based animal welfare nonprofit formerly known as Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, is organizing the 18-day crawl to drive foot traffic to nonprofit-aligned secondhand shops across the county. The event began Saturday, August 1 and runs through Tuesday, August 18 according to Patch.

The kickoff took place Saturday, August 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Joybound's Thrift Store, Cat Lounge & Adoption Center at 1950 Market St., Suite I, in Concord. Shoppers at the kickoff hunted for Hidden Golden Tickets tucked throughout the store, grabbed complimentary treats, entered door-prize drawings, and met adoptable cats in the Cat Lounge.

Participation is free.

Here's how the crawl works: pick up an official map, visit participating stores over the 18 days, and collect a sticker at each one. Shoppers who complete the full map qualify for a grand prize drawing worth $275 in gift cards. Full rules and the crawl map are available at joybound.org.

Eleven stores are listed as participants, according to a Diablo Magazine event listing: Joybound Thrift Store and Cat Lounge, Hospice East Bay, The Garret, Leftovers Thrift Store, Habitat ReStore, Rescued Treasures, Thrift for Goodness Sake, Assistance League, Sharon's Attic, Faithworks Thrift Store, and Habitat for Humanity.

The crawl is timed to coincide with National Thrift Shop Day on Monday, August 17.

Joybound People & Pets, headquartered at 2890 Mitchell Drive in Walnut Creek, has facilitated more than 53,000 pet adoptions since its founding in 1991. The organization said on X on Tuesday, July 28, that the crawl partners nonprofit-aligned thrift shops across the East Bay to show how intentional shopping and donating can benefit both the community and the environment.