January 2024 Newsletter
Celebrating the Chester Andover Family Center Thrift Shop:
A Season for Giving and Receiving
The Chester Andover Family Center Thrift Shop has much to celebrate. We are a thriving retail thrift shop, bursting at the seams with clothing, household items, linens and books, thanks to the generous donations from our loyal local and “away” supporters.
Did you know that proceeds from Thrift Shop Sales fund our Financial Assistance and Food Shelf Programs?
Did you know that this year we distributed holiday gift certificates valued at $2,750 to 50 households? These gift certificates were redeemed in our thrift shop, providing recipients with an opportunity to purchase gifts for friends, neighbors and loved ones.
Recently, Jenna came to the thrift shop with her two children, Ella and Ben. She told the children they could purchase gifts for their grandparents, and they had $5 to spend. The children were very excited to be in charge of their gift giving and indeed were very thoughtful about their selections. The conversations were delightful, “do I have enough money for three things? do you think Grandma would like this?” It was a wonderful lesson in thoughtfulness and yes, math. All thrift shop volunteers working in the shop that afternoon, were given a gift of joyfulness.
And then there was Linda, shopping for her children and her neighbor's children. At checkout she was over the amount remaining on her gift certificate. A kind person behind her offered to make up the balance with his gift certificate, “I wouldn't be spending it all anyway”, he said with a smile.
Sometimes we simply do not charge someone for an item. Giving them what they need at the time is uplifting for our shoppers and our volunteers. One evening before Christmas, a young woman and her daughter saw the lights on and knocked on the door. They were having a “wardrobe emergency” and needed a dress for the school concert that evening. The crisis was averted as we found the perfect holiday concert outfit. This is why we are here. We want to provide a positive shopping experience for customers and volunteers.
If these stories sound like an experience you would like to have, consider volunteering at our thrift shop. Hours are flexible; you choose how much time you would like to volunteer. Stop in to the thrift shop during our regular hours; Thursdays, 1-4, Fridays, 10 -4, and Saturdays 10-2, and pick up a volunteer application.
In the meantime, please shop with us and continue to donate your gently used and often new clothing as well as household goods.
We also invite you to peek at our thrift shop expansion project going on at the back of our building. We will soon have a beautiful new space to receive and sort donations.
If you are looking for a job, we are interviewing for a thrift shop manager. A job description is on our website at www.chester-andoverfamilycenter.org. You can also e-mail us at cafc302@gmail.com. We have found our thrift shop manager — thank you!