New 2 YouMeet 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!
Kids Get A Free Book All Summer Long
Bring in your kids this summer as you shop!
All summer long, kids get to choose a book to take home for free!
*Limit of one book per child per day.
Celebrating our High School Seniors
Today we are celebrating the Grand Rapids Christian High School seniors, who are graduating today! We are so proud of each of the seniors, and most especially those who have chosen to work at New 2 You as part of their high school journey. Almost all of our New 2 You students are in the Grand Rapids Christian School system, which New 2 You supports.
Meet Ben, one of our fantastic backroom helpers!
Ben will be attending Hope College, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Theater. His favorite New 2 You memory has been working at the donations door and seeing the unique items that get donated. His favorite high school memory has been acting on stage with his friends—the best scene was when daffodil petals rained from above during a song in Big Fish.
Meet Char, an excellent donations door host and cashier!
Char will be headed to Michigan State University, studying vocal performance. She has loved working in the donations door, with her favorite memory being when she was working for a couple hours on a very busy day and would’ve kept working until a volunteer ordered pizza and invited her to join for a break. To Char, these moments of friendship and community have made New 2 You one of her favorite places to be.
Meet Ellie, an all-star cashier!
Ellie has been a joy to get to know, and we’re so sad to say goodbye for now. She will be attending Calvin University studying Nursing. She has loved working with volunteers and staff members from a variety of ages and backgrounds—the volunteers have quickly become some of her favorite people. Her favorite high school memory was going to the Dominican Republic, where she got to experience a new culture. She started working at New 2 You to earn money for this trip.
Meet Megan, another top cashier and Saturday helper!
Megan will be going to Calvin University and joining the Track and Field team—wow! She’s still deciding what specifically to study, but she greatly enjoys STEM. Her favorite New 2 You memory was hanging up clothes the day before Thanksgiving with some volunteers while listening to Christmas music. She had numerous great experiences in high school, but two that stand out were from traveling. Once she went to the South with a school group for a civil rights tour, and another time, she traveled to Nicaragua with her youth group.
Meet Molly, a beloved clothing sorter, cashier, and jack-of-all-trades.
Molly will be headed to Hope College to join one of her sisters and will be studying Psychology on the Sociology track. She may also take a gap year and get her residency in California. Her favorite New 2 You memory has been getting to deeply know some of our volunteers, particularly those who join her in clothing sorting. Her favorite high school memory was cheering on the football team on Friday night games.
How We Celebrated National Volunteer Week
Last week, we celebrated all of our volunteers during National Volunteer Week!
On social media, we gave glimpses into different volunteer roles. All week long in the break room, we treated our volunteers to an ice cream bar with cookies and brownies, provided by Grand Rapids Christian Schools.
We are so thankful for our volunteers-—they are truly the lifeblood of New 2 You.
Meet Katie, a New Volunteer Making an Impact
Meet Katie, one of our newest volunteers who is already making an impact in the New 2 You community.
Katie’s connection to New 2 You began long before she became a volunteer. When she lived north of Grand Rapids, she made it a point to stop by the store whenever she was in town. After moving to Grand Rapids a few years ago, her visits became a weekly tradition. Six weeks ago, she decided to take the next step and become a regular volunteer—and we’re so grateful she did!
With her bright personality and generous heart, Katie is always ready to lend a hand wherever she’s needed, whether that means cleaning products, dusting shelves, or organizing clothes. She loves being part of New 2 You’s mission to make Christian education more affordable while also working alongside a wonderful community of volunteers. Though she didn’t know anyone when she first started—and had no prior connection to Grand Rapids Christian Schools—she has quickly built friendships. It especially warms her heart when fellow volunteers keep an eye out for clothing and jewelry she might like!
As a Grand Rapids native, Katie has lived in various places throughout Michigan. One of her earliest jobs was with Camp Keewano, a Camp Fire Girls’ Resident Camp, where she lived on-site, serving as a lifeguard, counselor, and swim teacher. Later, she pursued a teaching degree and spent 20 years in Fremont as a 4th-grade teacher before retiring. She remains closely connected with many of her former students.
Katie leads an active life, enjoying swimming, reading, photography, and spending time with her two sons and granddaughter. “They’re the best things I’ve ever made,” she often says. She also has a unique love for lighthouses—last summer, she even served as a lighthouse keeper and hopes to do it again this year!
Giving back has always been important to Katie. She sees her spiritual gift as encouraging others, something she demonstrates both at New 2 You and beyond. Whether she’s tutoring at one of Kentwood’s many elementary schools, mentoring college students, or serving on the Kentwood Education Foundation Board, her kindness and encouragement leave a lasting impact.
Katie is such a joy to be around, and we’re so thankful she chose to be part of the New 2 You family!
GRCHS Seniors Give A Helping Hand on Senior Service Day
We are sending our thanks to the many students that came over from Grand Rapids Christian High School on Wednesday, March 19, to help us prepare our spring clothes for changeover!
Each year as freshmen, sophomores, and juniors take standardized tests, the seniors spend a day serving in the community. On this Senior Service Day, about a dozen students came to help us!
We greatly appreciated their help at our store and in our off-site storage location. Thank you, seniors!
Spring Clothing Is Here!
Are you ready for a new collection of clothes?! We’ve been storing up our spring and summer clothes for months. Come early to see what we have!
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Spring Decor is Here!
Spring (decor) has sprung!
Stop in to see the beautiful spring and Easter decor that are available for sale starting TODAY, March 3!
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Meet Jerry, the first member of the “Thursday Truck Crew”
Meet Jerry, the first member of the “Thursday truck crew” and a familiar face we all love to see at New 2 You.
Every Thursday morning, Jerry, John, Jeff, and Chuck gather at New 2 You to load up the store’s truck with furniture for delivery. The store manager, Andrea, provides them with a list of locations for the day, and Jerry takes the driver’s seat. Throughout the day, these men brave the weather to pick up and deliver dozens of furniture pieces. They always greet customers with smiles and enjoy the moments when they run into an old friend along the way. At lunchtime, they stop at Mr. Burger, their favorite fast-food restaurant, to share a meal and a few minutes of camaraderie. This dedicated team has been delivering furniture together for ten years.
Fifteen years ago, Jerry began volunteering at New 2 You after his wife, Jan, took on a managerial role. He already had a heart for the store through being on the Board of Directors and would come in and help as needed. At the time, a small group of volunteers handled furniture deliveries on Wednesdays, but growing demand meant they occasionally couldn’t complete all their stops in a single day. When that happened, Jerry stepped in on Thursday mornings, using his Jeep to drop off the remaining furniture. Within a few years, his friends John, Jeff, and Chuck joined him, and regular Thursday morning deliveries became part of their routine.
Jerry has always enjoyed connecting with others, and volunteering at New 2 You is one of the many ways he expresses that now. In his earlier years, after graduating from Grand Rapids Christian High School, he got a degree from Calvin College in social work with the dream of serving people through close interaction. God had the same vision of service for Jerry but a different method of getting there. Through a family connection, he began working at Custom Printers and, by age 30, became the business owner. Later, his brother Frank (who is currently a New 2 You volunteer and board member) joined as a partner, and together they grew the company to over 75 employees by the time Jerry retired. Throughout his career, he prioritized a family-oriented workplace, caring deeply for his employees.
In retirement, Jerry enjoys being part of the New 2 You delivery and pick-up team because it gives him the opportunity to help customers. During their rounds, he gets to see the excitement of customers receiving their newly purchased furniture and the relief of those donating, knowing their items will be put to good use.
Beyond New 2 You, Jerry also volunteers at his church’s food pantry and cherishes time with his family, including his four children and three grandchildren, all of whom he’s incredibly proud of. Having moved from the Netherlands to Canada to New York before settling in Grand Rapids at 15, Jerry is grateful that his children had the opposite experience—growing up and staying in one place. Today, all four still live in the area.
We are incredibly grateful for Jerry’s dedication, energy, and leadership at New 2 You and in the community. Thank you, Jerry, for all you do!
New 2 You 
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