New 2 YouA Merry Christmas Lunch for our Volunteers
Christmas lunch was Monday through Saturday last week at the store!
We treated our volunteers with a soup bar and asked everyone to pass along a favorite dish or dessert. There were a lot of very yummy desserts!
In the week, we were reminded about what a truly special gift community is. We could share a laugh with our friends, talk about Christmas plans, and really see the light of Christ in each other.
Celebrating our Managers this Christmas Season
This Wednesday, we treated our managers to a lovely breakfast at Anna’s House.
These folks are so integral to New 2 You’s success. They each commit to a few shifts each week where they ensure our store is orderly and stocked, lead our volunteers and staff, and regularly interact with customers by answering their questions and handling concerns.
What a truly special group! Thank you, managers!
Meet Merle, Furniture Department Head
Have you ever wondered how “Christmas Lane” came to be? That’s a great question for Merle. Each year, he would see Christmas decor scattered around the furniture department, making it challenging to shop for both furniture—which is the department he works in—and Christmas. That’s when he and the store manager brainstormed using some of the furniture to create an organized “Christmas Lane,” where shoppers could stroll down a row to shop for their favorite Christmas collectibles and dishes.
This idea is just one of the many ways Merle has contributed to New 2 You over his 14 years here. When he first started volunteering, he worked as a cashier and deeply enjoyed connecting with customers. A few years later, he moved to the furniture department, soon becoming the department head and later serving on the store’s Board of Directors. Merle is a treasured member of the New 2 You family, and we are so thankful for his leadership and dedication.
Merle is a true Michigan man. He grew up in Holland, served in the Army, attended Western Michigan University, and stayed in the area to work in data processing. Midway through his career, Merle and a partner started a computer leasing business, which brought him great joy. Inside and outside of New 2 You, Merle is quite the handyman—he enjoys landscaping and refinishing furniture. He is also very involved in his community and church, frequently volunteering and serving on a committee. In his free time, he loves spending time with his three sons and seventeen grandkids.
Merle began volunteering at New 2 You a few years after retiring. The transition from running a business to having only a few side projects was challenging, but one of the current volunteers invited him to join the team. Since Merle’s sons all attended Grand Rapids Christian Schools, he was excited to support the school district—but the bigger draw was the community at New 2 You. Seeing that most of the volunteers were like-minded Christians serving the Lord, he found many people he was eager to get to know, build friendships with, and grow alongside.
Merle now comes in every Wednesday and Thursday, excited to see the other volunteers and contribute however he can. In the furniture department, he spends most of his time researching furniture pieces, pricing them, and arranging them on the sales floor in “settings,” much like a department store. He groups couches, end tables, coffee tables, lamps, and large décor items together to help customers envision how the furniture might look in their homes.
One of the things Merle most appreciates about volunteering is that it provides an opportunity to exercise physically, mentally, and spiritually. He values the chance to learn from others at the store while also sharing his own knowledge, and he enjoys practicing tolerance for new opinions and ways of thinking.
We are so grateful for Merle—his wisdom, leadership, and heart for service are a blessing to everyone at New 2 You. Thank you so much, Merle!
Meet Carol and Shari, Volunteer Team in the Kids’ Clothing Department
Ten years ago, Carol was volunteering in the Junior’s Clothing department, preparing items from brands that teens would recognize from the mall. At the same time, Shari had just begun volunteering regularly in the Kids’ Clothing department. As a seasoned volunteer who had been with New 2 You since day one, Carol invited Shari to join her for lunch, and the two have been friends ever since. Today, they volunteer side by side every Tuesday morning in the Kids’ Clothing department, sorting, pricing, and merchandising. Both agree that working together makes the work even more enjoyable and rewarding.
Carol grew up in Chicago, attended Calvin University, raised two children, and spent many years working in interior design. Shari grew up in Washington, also attended Calvin, worked for Hope Network, and raised three children. Despite these common threads, they didn’t know each other before volunteering at New 2 You. Now, they’ve discovered even more shared interests: a love of gardening and traveling, deep involvement in their communities, and even the experience of having a child living in Washington. “We can commiserate about that one together,” they laugh.
Carol first learned about New 2 You and its mission 22 years ago through her church bulletin and was immediately drawn in. Though she never considered herself much of a “thrifter,” she loved the idea of raising money for Christian education while also providing the community with affordable products. From the start, she poured her talents into the store, serving on the Board of Directors, helping as a Tuesday morning Day Manager, and using her design expertise to choose paint colors, carpeting, and merchandising that brought life to the store. Over the years, she has remained a dedicated Tuesday morning volunteer and now also leads devotions before the store opens. Some of her favorite mornings are when she prepares a devotion based on a volunteer’s favorite Bible verse and then listens to their story about why it matters to them.
When Shari began volunteering, she chose to work in the Kids’ Clothing department because she had younger children at the time and knew the fashion trends. Her children were attending Grand Rapids Christian Schools, which initially connected her to New 2 You. “The school connection brought me to volunteer, but the community is what really kept me going,” Shari explains.
Now, Shari and Carol love teaming up in Kids’ Clothing. They treat it as a challenge to see how much they can accomplish in a shift—pricing items, arranging displays, and debating whether a dress looks “Christmas-y enough” for the holiday collection. And of course, there’s always laughter. “There’s always someone laughing and talking about a funny donation they got,” Carol says. Both women treasure being part of the New 2 You community, where volunteers work as a team and everyone’s unique gifts make a difference.
Their gifts extend far beyond the store. Carol leads a Bible study she began 20 years ago, and she enjoys learning new skills like line dancing and mahjong. Shari is active at her church, volunteers with Kids’ Food Basket, and takes courses through the Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL).
As the needs in the Kids’ Clothing department continue to grow, Carol, Shari, and the rest of the team would love more helping hands. If you or someone you know might be interested, please reach out! When asked how she would “sell the experience,” Shari summed it up perfectly: “You’re always going to have something to do. You’ll be busy, and if you have kids or grandkids, you get first dibs on clothes. If you like to organize and have a challenge, this is for you. And it’s a great community!”
Winter Coats and Winter Accessories are Here!
Starting TODAY, September 25, you can now shop for winter coats, hats, scarves, mittens, snow pants, and everything else you’ll need to survive the cold.
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GRCHS Varsity Boys Soccer Team Lends a Helping Hand
This past week, the Varsity Boys Soccer team from Grand Rapids Christian High School came to New 2 You to spend an afternoon volunteering. We are so thankful for them and their hands of service!
The team of 21 boys brought laughter and hard work to our off-site location as we asked them to hang up hundreds of boys’ and girls’ clothing items.
They did awesome, and we could tell they were having a little fun, too. Thank you so much!
Meet Stephanie and Mary, Two Women Growing their Friendship through Volunteering
Meet Stephanie and Mary, two women growing their friendship through volunteering!
Just a few months ago, Stephanie and Mary walked into New 2 You to ask if we were in need of more volunteers. Both had experience volunteering at their churches, but they were looking for a place where they could serve together. When Mary mentioned that New 2 You was her favorite shop, they decided to stop in, hopeful that it would be a good fit.
Mary has a deep love for people and her community. She spent her career in education, beginning with teaching adults with special needs, then moving into special education at Grand Rapids Christian’s Iroquois campus and other local schools. Her faith and heart for service intersect deeply in her life. She currently leads two Bible studies—one for parents of children with disabilities and one for seniors in the community—and also volunteers with Go-Getters at Calvary Church, a worship and events program for people of all abilities. It was through Go-Getters that Mary and Stephanie met.
Eight years ago at Go-Getters, Stephanie shared her experience on a biblical study tour called “Under the Fig Tree,” where she traveled to Israel to deepen her understanding of Jesus. Mary was moved by Stephanie’s testimony, and the two grew closer over time, strengthened by their shared involvement at Go-Getters and a connection Mary had with Stephanie’s mom.
Now, every Wednesday, Stephanie and Mary volunteer together at New 2 You before heading to Calvary Church for Wednesday Fellowship Dinners. Stephanie works with women’s and kids’ clothes, focusing on colorizing and organizing by size. Mary often helps with the dressing rooms, and the two check in with each other every hour. They’re also happy to jump in and help in other departments as needed. One of the joys of volunteering together is doing “two-person jobs,” like cleaning shoes or artwork that they can do side-by-side.
Stephanie most enjoys working with clothing and doing meaningful work at the store. Mary loves greeting customers and getting to know the other volunteers. Although they’ve only been part of the New 2 You family for a few months, the store already holds a special place in their hearts.
Outside of volunteering, Mary enjoys spending time with her two daughters, two granddaughters, and one grandson. Stephanie finds joy in artistic creativity, helping others, and attending Wednesday night Go-Getter events.
We’re so glad Stephanie and Mary chose to volunteer at New 2 You—they are such a joy!
Thank you for voting us Best of the West!
Thank you SO MUCH for voting us “Best of the West” Thrift/Consignment store for 2025 in Revue West Michigan’s magazine!
We are so thankful for all your support!
Meet Nancy, a Volunteer Since Day 1
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.
How was our Kids’ Clothing Tent Sale?
Last week Thursday and Friday, we had our FIRST-EVER Kids’ Clothing Tent Sale, and it was a huge success!
We set out a tent in the parking lot, under which we sold over 1,000 kids’ clothing items at $1.00 or $0.50. Not only did we see many smiling customers, but multiple even brought their kids to pick out some clothes and enjoy some lemonade.
Thank you so much for supporting us in this new event! Stay tuned for more events we’ll have in the future!
New 2 You 
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