Transform Lives through Clothing Donations

Hope Costumes & Thrift Store is getting close to closing for the day and the question drifts across the shop “I know I’m totally over thinking this like a million times but do you think I need to do anything else to this display?”. I smile because I know that to even verbalise that out loud in the shop shows enormous growth and trust that our Hope Costumes & Thrift Store Manager, Janice has steadily built with this young person.

The young person has many barriers to overcome to operate everday, anxiety and low self-worth are just two. When they first started they only wanted to stay in the background, not step foot in the store. As Janice took them under their wing and other team members interacted with them, they built common ground we’ve seen some changes. One day they stepped in and helped customers put together a costume from our Costume Hire department all by themselves, the look was fantastic and much appreciated by the customer. Afterwards they shakily exclaimed “I can’t believe I just did that!”

The late afternoon in discussion they had quite a list of jobs to do, which involved plenty of room for personal input and decision making. The display being the last item to complete. As I stood with them looking at the display, asking questions and listening to what they were wanting to achieve in the design, there was nothing else to add. I laughed as they finished “Of course if Janice was here she would tell me its amazing and I did really well” I know there’s no patronizing going on, this young person wouldn’t stand for that in a moment, but what they are reflecting is the encouragement they experience in the environment and that speaks volumes.

Back to our heading, how can donating clothing and pre-loved knick knacks transform lives? This young persons story is just one example of the relationships and lives changing in this place. Your donations help us raise much needed funds to continue working alongside young people just like them. They give young people an opportunity to learn many aspects of retail from sorting, washing/drying, displaying, merchandising, customer service, time management, conflict management, trusting themselves and so much more.

More than ever we need your donations. We do not receive funding from the Government we raise our own. Hope Costumes & Thrift Store is one of our social enterprises that we do so. We are not a super well known charity in comparison to the big charities in Launceston, but we do punch above our weight in the help and support we offer youth in our community.

Please help us as the weather changes, if you’re considering clearing a part of your wardrobe or house, please think of us. We desperately need good quality clothing, homewares, knick knacks, books and accessories. We cannot take electrical goods or furniture we just don;t have the space or funds for testing and tagging items.

Donations are accepted at our store during operating hours. As we are in the CBD we have access to our parking area that allows for easy drop off directly at our building without costing in parking fees and trudging things through town. Please call Janice on 0477 223 384 during operating hours or email her manager@hopethriftstore.org.au

Thank you for helping us in this way, it’s truly needed.