In 2003, Nancy was volunteering at Frederik Meijer Gardens when a few of her friends from church shared with her the vision for a new store called New 2 You. She knew right away this was where she needed to be. 

Since our opening in 2004, Nancy has proudly served as a cashier, sharing her warmth with customers while forwarding the mission of Christian education—something she has dedicated much of her life to.

Nancy grew up in Grand Rapids and attended Christian schools from preschool all the way through college. After graduating, she and her husband, George, became teachers. Nancy taught elementary students—primarily 4th grade—for 25 years. She and George loved being able to live out God’s calling through their teaching. Later in life, that calling led them to teach in China, New Zealand, Haiti, and Washington!

When she first started volunteering at New 2 You, Nancy remembers jumping right in after a couple of cashier training sessions: “Everything was just trial and error at the time.” The Grand Rapids community hadn’t heard of New 2 You yet—most people only discovered it by driving past—and even the managers were still figuring out what running a thrift store really meant. But along the way, each manager and volunteer brought new skills, knowledge, and passion to the table. For Nancy, a former teacher, volunteering became a way to continue learning something new each day while staying connected to the Christian schools.

As a cashier, Nancy loves getting to know customers—many of whom she now knows by name. Some of her favorite moments are when she runs into former students or their parents. Her love for her students has never left her heart. Having cashiered for so many years, Nancy has watched people grow and change. One customer who started shopping during her first year as a volunteer now has a grandchild in college. That customer still shows Nancy photos and shares life updates—a special connection that’s lasted decades.

Nancy also deeply values the morning devotional time shared by the New 2 You crew. To her, it’s a daily reminder that this is a mission-based organization, and that by volunteering, she is part of that mission. “It’s really amazing how God has worked here,” Nancy shared. God has indeed been good to our store. Everyone is continuing to learn how to run it better, our community is growing, more people are choosing to shop here before going to retail stores, and we’re able to give increasingly more funds to GRCS families.

When she’s not at New 2 You, Nancy enjoys spending time with her three daughters, seven grandchildren, and seven—soon to be eight—great-grandchildren, most of whom live in Michigan. She and her husband also love to read and travel back to the countries where they once taught.

We are abundantly thankful for Nancy and her 21 years of service! She has such a kind presence, and it is a joy to see her each day she comes in.