LONG BRANCH – Family & Children’s Service (FCS), Monmouth County’s oldest nonprofit social service agency, will be holding a special half-off anniversary sale Wednesday, Feb. 19, at its thrift boutique to thank customers for their patronage during the past year.
The FCS Thrift Boutique, located at 307 Branchport Road, was closed for more
than three months following Hurricane Sandy after flooding destroyed the store’s first floor and wiped out its entire donated inventory. A grant from the Robin Hood Foundation and assistance from local businesses, organizations and individuals helped the agency rebuild and reopen by mid-February of last year.
“We were very fortunate,” said FCS CEO Delly Beekman. “We know that many in
our community are still waiting on Sandy recovery funds to rebuild and restore their lives. That’s why it was so important for us to reopen quickly. We wanted to fulfill our mission to serve people at vulnerable times in their lives by ensuring that our customers, many of whom are struggling, had a place to shop for the items they needed at a reduced cost.”
Beekman added that proceeds from sale of items in the store help fund vital FCS programs and services including home care, respite care and child literacy.
To celebrate a successful reopening year, the boutique will offer 50 percent off all merchandise, excluding designer items, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19. In addition, the store will be staging a number of in-store events, including fashion displays and demonstrations on how to reuse, recycle and repurpose.
“There is a real trend to finding new uses for thrift store items,” said Samantha White, FCS manager of volunteer services. “For example, sweaters aren’t just being worn anymore. They’re being used as fabric sources to create legwarmers, mittens and pillows. Vintage kitchen items can be transformed into artwork. Mugs and teacups make great planters. Imagination is all that’s needed.”
To inspire thrift boutique shoppers, the agency has created a board on its
Pinterest page at http://www.pinterest.com/fcsmonmouth/reuse-repurpose-recycle/ containing links to thrift crafting ideas. They are also encouraging
shoppers to post photos of their favorite thrift boutique find to their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/thethriftboutique. The outfit with the most Facebook likes will receive a $25 gift card to spend at the store.
The FCS Thrift Boutique accepts new and gently used men’s and women’s
clothing, shoes, purses, accessories, new linens and small household items.
Donated items can be brought to the store during normal business hours which
are: noon to 5 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. A complete list of items the store accepts can be found on the agency’s website at www.fcsmonmouth.org.
The FCS Thrift Boutique is also always seeking volunteers. To apply, contact Samantha White at 732-222-9111 or swhite@fcsmonmouth.org.
