New 2 YouWe Just Celebrated our Volunteers!
We celebrated our 175+ volunteers and special guests this past weekend during our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner!
This was a very special time for us as we could gather together as a family to share what we’re thankful for, get to know volunteers that come in during different days, and celebrate another year of being a blessing AND being blessed.
Ask any volunteer, and they’ll tell you that one of the most special parts about volunteering at New 2 You is being welcomed into a family that cares for each other, prays together, mourns together, and celebrates together. This was an opportunity to celebrate together.
Small Business Saturday Celebration (November 30)
We are thankful for YOU, our loyal customers that have helped us reach 20 years supporting Grand Rapids Christian Schools!
To celebrate you, we have some special treats available Saturday, November 30, for Small Business Saturday, including:
- FREE hot drinks served by GRCHS students outside our store from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Buy 1, Get 1 Free (BOGO) ornaments and ornament sets
- Free NEW large gift bag valued at $5 with a $5+ purchase (available while supplies last, one per customer)
We invite you to swing by as you make your shopping rounds! For updates on the event, follow us on Facebook and find our Small Business Saturday event page.
Blessed to be a blessing—so far as the Dominican Republic!
At New 2 You, we are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. The abundance of donations we receive allows us to extend that generosity beyond our doors. One way we’ve been able to give back to our community is by partnering with Grand Rapids Christian High School (GRCHS) to send kids’ shoes to the Dominican Republic—a vital item for many families in need.
For the past eight years, Frank Padilla, Kyla Padilla, and Tricia Nelson have led GRCHS students on mission trips to the Dominican Republic through the school’s Winterim program. Working alongside a local ministry, the group engages in service projects, teaches Bible lessons, and shares Christ’s love with young students. As part of their mission, they bring duffle bags filled with gently used shoes to distribute within the community.
New 2 You has been proud to partner in this mission for the last six years, alongside Gazelle Sports and Meijer. These shoes meet a critical need for many families who cannot afford them. Each year, the high school students deliver these shoes as part of their work at Sociedad Lucas, a ministry that began as a medical outreach and has since expanded into a thriving school—the largest in the district.
The impact of Sociedad Lucas is made possible through partnerships with organizations and individuals around the world. In an area with limited resources, support from groups like GRCHS and corporate donors in Grand Rapids enables the ministry to flourish. The team approaches each trip with a heart of humility, asking Dr. Silvia, Sociedad Lucas’ director, how they can best serve her vision for the community.
This January, the team will travel with another group of students from GRCHS, bringing Christ’s love and tangible resources to the Dominican Republic. Thanks to an abundance of shoes donated this year, they’ve reached their carrying capacity. However, they are seeking help to cover shipping costs—each duffle bag (containing 20–50 pairs of shoes) costs $45 to send.
If you feel called to support this mission by sponsoring a bag, please reach out to new2you@grcs.org. This is a way that we can continue being a blessing in our global community.
Meet Dianne, Our Talented Floral Artist
Ever wonder how New 2 You always has such beautiful flower arrangements? It’s all thanks to Dianne! For the past six years, she has crafted over a thousand stunning arrangements for us, and we are so grateful for her talent and generosity.
Dianne honed her bouquet-making skills at Ballpark Floral while raising three daughters, including Laura, our wonderful Assistant Store Manager. Laura loves how her mom’s home is always beautifully decorated with flowers and seasonal decor—Dianne truly has an eye for beauty!
When Laura is working at New 2 You, she gathers donated artificial flowers and pots that Dianne might use. When inspiration strikes, Dianne uses these materials to create arrangements in her home, which we then sell at the store.
In this special form of volunteering, Dianne finds joy and purpose. Designing arrangements has become a creative outlet for her, and knowing that her work supports families at Grand Rapids Christian Schools brings her even more joy.
What a beautiful way to share her gifts with others!
6 Fall fashion trends in 2024 that you can easily thrift
One of the things we love about thrifting is that you can easily stay on trend without breaking the bank.
With a few more weeks of fall left, here are a few fashion trends to look out for next time you thrift at New 2 You in Grand Rapids:
1. Wool blazers – Grab a wool blazer (from the men’s or women’s department!) a few sizes too big and pair with jeans or neutral-colored dress pants. The classic look adds sophistication and warmth.
2. Belts, belts, belts – Use this classic staple to be your next fashion statement. A leather belt will go with any outfit, but a bold and flashy one will take it to the next level.
3. Men’s dress pants – Baggy pants are in–you know what’s also baggy? Men’s pants on women. Go for brown or khaki–you may be surprised.
4. The color burgundy– This fall color pairs with grays, creams, and browns. It naturally brightens your outfit and shows that you’re ready for the season!
5. Leopard print – Yes, it’s back! Leopard print is best as an accent, particularly as a purse, coat, or pair of shoes.
6. Trench coats – It’s a classic staple turned popular. They’re best as a neutral color or in denim or leather. Friends, don’t bring out the winter coats too early.
Let us know which of these fall trends you’ll be adding to your wardrobe this season!
4 Thrifting Tips for Your Next Trip to New 2 You
Don’t skip over these four shopping tips for next time you’re thrifting at New 2 You in Grand Rapids.
1. Check our houseware bins for new products – In the middle of each day, we roll out a few bins of housewares near the linens department. These bins are full of products that came in as donations from the morning.
2. Watch for our sales online – Every Monday morning at 8:00 am, we list the weekly sale on our website, Facebook, Instagram, and Google. If you missed it, we always show our sale by the door when you walk in. You can also Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, where you’ll get the weekly sales sent right to your inbox.
3. Ask a volunteer for help – Our volunteers are always ready to help you find what you need! The best part about being organized? We know where products should be if they’re available.
4. Come again soon – We put out new products every day—we guarantee that there will always be something different.
Happy thrifting!
Meet Cheryl, a Generous Artist Sharing Her Gifts
Meet Cheryl, a talented artist that is sharing her gifts with the New 2 You community!
Cheryl has been making and creating things for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she sewed her own clothes and practiced art throughout school. In her adult life, she worked at Grand Rapids Christian Schools as an art teacher and costume director. Her love for creating continues today as she upcycles fabric. We are so blessed at New 2 You to be receiving dozens of her textile art and will be continuing to receive batches in the future.
To Cheryl, upcycling is about “finding beauty in the ashes.” She loves to create clothing, 3D objects like fabric plants, and 2D landscapes out of fabric that she thrifted or was headed to the landfill. Something about a fabric’s color, texture, or pattern will usually catch her eye and inspire her to create a specific object. No two art pieces that Cheryl creates are identical. You can visit her Instagram page (@cherylrandall19) to see some of her start-to-finish creations.
What Cheryl loves the most about upcycling is that it’s an opportunity and a blessing to answer God’s call to redeem the world around her.
“There’s something very redemptive about taking an item that’s been cast aside and realizing that there’s still potential there—the item can be brought back, fixed up, reimagined, etc. There’s so many things in life that you can’t fix or change, so there’s something that’s very redemptive about upcycling.”
We are so blessed by Cheryl’s generosity! Next time you’re at New 2 You, we encourage you to see the display of Cheryl’s creative artwork and buy one for yourself or a friend! They are so special!
Meet Barb and Joan: Friends in Service and Beyond!
Barb and Joan are more than just volunteers at New 2 You—they’re a dynamic duo who brighten our space with their talents and friendship. Barb, one of our creative merchandise displayers, and Joan, a welcoming presence at the donation door, have found joy in spending time together while making a meaningful impact through New 2 You.
Their story began years ago at a swim meet for their kids, sparking a friendship that has grown through shared interests in talking, shopping, and traveling. Eight years ago, Barb started volunteering at New 2 You and encouraged Joan to join. Since then, they’ve spent their Tuesdays working side by side, enriching our community and each other’s lives.
Outside of New 2 You, Barb’s care for her home and yard showcase her eye for beauty and order, and Joan cherishes time with her daughter and grandchildren. Together, they also volunteer at the Grand Rapids Circle Theatre, demonstrating their shared passion for people and community.
For Barb and Joan, it’s the relationships that truly set their time at New 2 You apart. Barb considers New 2 You her “happy place,” while Joan enjoys the chance to connect with donors at the donation door. “We learn so much from others while working here. It’s like another education,” Joan shared. “We hear stories from people of different cultures and backgrounds, and before long, you start knowing them by name.”
The most rewarding part of volunteering for them is seeing the bright students that come out of Grand Rapids Christian Schools. While Barb and Joan gain valuable lessons and a form of education through their experiences at New 2 You, they are also helping provide the gift of education to others.
We’re grateful for Barb and Joan. Thank you both for your servant hearts!
How was our Athleisure Event?
Last Thursday, October 3, we opened up our store to an after-hours event where we sold over 400 high-end athleisure items! We had been storing up tops, bottoms, and sporting-wear for months.
Thank you so much to all who donated their athleisure items, shopped during the event, and volunteered after the sun was down. This successful event helped us raise hundreds of additional dollars for Christian education.
Volunteer Spotlight on Thelma
Meet Thelma, one of our dedicated volunteers who has been sharing her Saturdays with New 2 You for an incredible 16 years! Thelma has a big heart for people and loves spending her time serving others.
Before joining us, Thelma was an elementary school teacher, primarily teaching close to home. She also spent some time teaching in the Netherlands before she and her husband joined the Wycliffe Bible Translators organization and felt called to serve in Peru. There, her husband worked as a Bible editor, and Thelma’s passion for helping others only grew stronger. Today, she continues her commitment to teaching, sharing the Gospel with non-English speakers. Through the Church of the Servant, she teaches English to immigrants and non-native speakers.
At New 2 You, Thelma enjoys a different kind of volunteering experience. As a cashier every Saturday, her favorite part is connecting with customers, many of whom have become familiar faces. “I feel like they’re my friends,” she shared.
Outside of her volunteer work, Thelma cherishes spending time with her three children and eight grandchildren, several of whom live nearby. She also keeps busy with a book club, Bible study, exercise class, and makes sure to get in her daily Wordle.
We are so grateful for Thelma and her loving spirit. Thank you, Thelma, for being such a wonderful blessing to New 2 You and our community!
New 2 You 
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