THE GOOD PLACE
Fabric of the Community
The Nearly New Thrift Store in Niagara Falls is changing young people’s lives, one gently used item at a time.
By Sarah Laing
Christina Lajeunesse, who has worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters Niagara for over three years, dons a Nearly New Thrift Store apron. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF NEARLY NEW THRIFT STORE
DROP BY THE NEARLY NEW THRIFT STORE in Niagara Falls and you’re likely to notice two things right away. The gently used items on the shelves, ranging from household items to clothing and even sporting wear, look like the meticulously organized merchandise you might find in any boutique shop. Next, the store is “a welcoming space with an inviting atmosphere,” says Christina Lajeunesse, community engagement coordinator at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara (BBBS).
Run almost exclusively by volunteers, the Nearly New Thrift Store is a community-centred shop that has been providing crucial funding for BBBS Niagara since 1958.
“All of the funds generated at the store are directly reinvested into our mentoring programs to ensure [they] stay at no-cost to the participants and their families,” notes Lajeunesse. “It supports our mission of creating meaningful, impactful and lasting relationships between mentors and mentees, helping to ignite the potential of young people through positive role models.”
“It supports our mission of creating meaningful, impactful and lasting relationships between mentors and mentees.”
Besides helping BBBS Niagara generate enough income to support its work, the Nearly New Thrift Store also fulfills other needs in the community. “[It provides] affordable access to clothing and household goods for those facing financial challenges,” says Lajeunesse. “By repurposing donations, it also [reduces] the amount of waste ending up in our landfills.”
And the store offers a good opportunity to volunteer, she adds, for anyone looking to be more involved in the community. “My favourite part is being inspired by the passion of our dedicated volunteers. They bend over backwards to assist our community.”
The thrift store’s partnerships include working directly with the Salvation Army on a voucher program that individuals use as cash. It also collaborates with Niagara Warehouse of Hope by sending clothing and linens over to volunteers who then lend their crafting skills to give new life to those items before they’re given to folks who need them.
“Our store not only helps the members of our community receive the items they need, it is also part of a much larger community solution,” says Lajeunesse. “Watching people come together to shop, donate and volunteer, all while supporting youth mentorship, is incredibly fulfilling.” CAA
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara is a CAA Niagara Community Boost recipient.
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