The Spence Street Thrift Shop is a social enterprise of Pregnancy and Family Support Services, a local nonprofit that supports people in the West End and Downtown neighbourhoods. The thrift shop is a huge support in the community, and is much more than just a great local source of affordable clothes and household items: they have a large and really diverse group of volunteers, and are a place for people to make connections, build job skills and get engaged in the community.
The thrift shop has been around a long time, and it’s now time to do a refresh. Kristy, their coordinator, has great ideas about what she wants out of the space, but she knew that she needed some expert assistance in envisioning and planning the space. We matched her with interior design and decorating expert Penny Scott-Mazur, whose first Spark match a few years ago resulted in the warm and welcoming look and feel of Transcona’s social enterprise the L’Arche Tova Cafe. Now, Penny is helping Kristy and others make the thrift shop the most functional, organized and attractive space it can be – all on a shoestring budget.
This Spark match is a piece of the supports that PFSS is organizing for the makeover. They’ve secured a small grant from the Richardson Foundation and United Way to cover the cost of new flooring and paint. Also, they are organizing an upcoming fashion show which you are invited to attend – all funds raised will go to help the thrift shop and the programs run by PFSS’s Family Resource Centre.
If you work for a community development organization in Winnipeg and are looking for short-term, project-specific help, or if you’d like to volunteer your expertise, start here. Our matches make it possible for organizations to achieve what they can’t do on their own – be part of that change today!
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