New 2 YouMeet 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!
Customer Spotlight on Lauren, Founder of My Sister’s Closet Thrift
Meet Lauren, one of valued shoppers and owner of our thrift store friend My Sister’s Closet Thrift, an upscale thrift store in Middleville.
My Sister’s Closet Thrift (MSC) is a beautiful store for women of all ages to shop current styles of clothing that are both modest and in good quality.
Lauren loves to introduce people to the world of thrifting and secondhand. “Buying secondhand allows you to save money, it’s sustainable, and you know that the clothes have already been washed, so you have a better idea of how they’ll fit,” Lauren shared.
To introduce her customers and Instagram followers to new thrift stores in Grand Rapids, she often creates “Thrift haul” videos on her business’s Instagram account (@mscthrift). We are so honored that she chose to visit us! (Watch Lauren’s “Thrift haul” video at New 2 You here!) We love this idea of promoting thrift neighbors to encourage her followers to be more sustainable.
We encourage you to support My Sister’s Closet Thrift by buying online or in-person and seeing all of the creating ways that Lauren promotes thrifting through her Instagram account! Thank you for being a blessing to this world and others, Lauren!
New 2 You Wins “Best of the West” for Thrift/Consignment Shop for 2024
Our customers are THE BEST! Thank you so much for voting us as “Best of the West Thrift/Consignment Shop” for 2024!! 
This is such an incredible honor!
Thank you for the love, Grand Rapids and Revue Magazine!
See the other “Best of the West” winners here: https://revuewm.com/…/the-9th-annual-best-of-the-west…. Congratulations to all!
New GRCS Superintendent, Aaron Winkle, Visits New 2 You
New Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS) superintendent Aaron Winkle felt very welcomed by New 2 You last week as he visited the store for a tour. Before the doors opened, our volunteers and staff prayed over him during his time of transition.
In these pictures, Aaron Winkle is with the New 2 You store manager, Andrea Robinson, and Aaron’s long-time mentor, Don Boender.
Thank you, Aaron, for visiting! We know that GRCS will be blessed greatly by your leadership!
Volunteer Spotlight on Betty and Bev
Meet Betty and Bev, two sisters that make the perfect volunteer team! Betty and Bev got connected to New 2 You multiple years ago when they first started shopping with their mom. As customers, they felt constantly welcomed and cared for. After their mom passed away, they began volunteering on Wednesday mornings in the shoe department.
Together, the sisters have a system: Bev picks up Betty to volunteer, Bev cleans shoes, Betty prices shoes, and they put shoes on the sales floor together. Coming from a family of 12 biological children and 7 adopted children, family is very important to the sisters, and they greatly value the time they get to spend together volunteering. Usually they’ll joke around with each other in the meantime when Bev makes fun of Betty’s larger feet.
Betty and Bev grew up in Grand Rapids and have stayed in the community throughout their careers. They love the West Michigan community and find that volunteering at New 2 You is an excellent way to give back and honor God.
“Coming to New 2 You is a win, win, win.” they shared. “We get to donate, we get to volunteer, and we also get to shop!” There hasn’t been a day where they come in and don’t find something to purchase, Betty added.
We love these sisters and the uplifting spirits that they bring! Thank you, Betty and Bev, for being part of the New 2 You community!
What was New 2 You like 20 Years Ago?
Don, Mary, and Ruth are three volunteers that have been at New 2 You since the beginning. To learn a little bit more about their experiences, we asked them to answer a few questions. Here’s what they said:
Could you introduce yourselves?
Don: My name is Don, and I’m one of the day managers. I used to be head of the Men’s Clothing department up until very recently. I grew up in Illinois, where I started working with men’s clothing in 8th grade and then through high school and college. After that, I taught in a high school for 7 years and then became an administrator at Calvin College. The interesting part is that what goes around comes around. It really worked out well for me to come to New 2 You and work back with men’s clothing!
Mary: My name is Mary, and I have four kids—two of which are twins—and they kept me quite busy. When my kids were a little older, I needed something to do, so I became a proofreader. Before volunteering at New 2 You, I volunteered at the gift shop at Blodgett Hospital for 20 years. I worked with their jewelry and clothing, served on their board of directors, and later started purchasing for them. When I came to New 2 You, I worked with women’s clothing and then transitioned to jewelry a few years ago when there was a need.
Ruth: I’m Ruth, and I grew up in Germany. I came to the United States for college at the University of Michigan and then ended up in Grand Rapids because I met a guy from here who soon became my husband. For 20 years, I worked as a human resources manager for several German companies. When my kids were at the Grand Rapids Christian Schools, I went to an informational meeting about a new idea for a thrift store to support families of the school district. I heard that they needed managers, and even though I had never been to a thrift store, I offered to manage. Now I also price the vintage and collectibles.
Don, Mary, and Ruth were at these informational meetings. They recall very few attendees. Don learned about the meeting through an announcement in his church bulletin. Mary and Ruth had both learned about the meeting through school communications.
What was New 2 You like when it first opened?
Don: New 2 You’s building used to be a Gordon Foods. 29th Street wasn’t anywhere near what it is right now in terms of busyness.
Mary: New 2 You was much less organized. There was no such thing as “stations,” like we have now where certain volunteers work with product types or have designated jobs. We also didn’t have nearly the amount of volunteers that we needed.
Ruth: When we first opened, our hours were 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and I think we were open on Saturdays. It was a big step when we stayed open until 5:00 or 7:00.
What are some of your earliest memories of New 2 You?
Don: In our first year before we officially opened, we had a one-day clothing sale. I think we made a lot of money, but it was chaos!
Mary: Nobody really knew what we were doing at the beginning. We had no idea how to handle the amount of donations we received. At one point in the first few weeks, we had clothes piled up from the floor to the ceiling. I remember us standing there thinking, “How are we going to do this?”
Ruth: Revenue didn’t come as quickly as it does now. The first time that we hit $1,000 in sales, we called each other on our landlines to celebrate—it was a big deal!
The first 5 or 6 years at New 2 You weren’t easy on management or the volunteers. There was always a lot to learn and systems that needed to be refined. The sales floor was challenging to control, and work felt very labor-intensive.
Why did you continue volunteering at New 2 You?
Don: I needed something to do after retiring, and I enjoyed being here. This was the perfect fit for me. The people here are great, and some of the friends that I have now are friends just through being at New 2 You together.
Mary: I just felt like this is where I needed to be. When I was on the New 2 You board, there was a great need for volunteers, and so I wanted to help. The people here are also so great, and it’s special as we evolve over the years.
Ruth: I think what kept us here is the other people. I wasn’t going to let one or two negative experiences make me quit.
When describing how New 2 You has grown, Mary noted that a person that knows New 2 You today would have never been able to walk into New 2 You 20 years ago and recognize it as the same store.
What has changed? How did New 2 You transform into an upscale shop?
Don: Changes really happened once our current store manager, Karen, came and was able to bring in more volunteers. We were growing in sales numbers, but volunteer numbers were low. Volunteers make all the difference.
Mary: One of the biggest differences is organization. When we first started, we hardly knew what we were doing. So much credit has to be given to Karen with all of her retail experience. She had a vision for the store and made it happen.
Ruth: An inflow of money and good stewardship of it was also a very significant blessing for us. We had the money to pay off our mortgage 15 years earlier than it was due. We also had the money to update our facade and purchase an electronic sign on 29th street. We used to use a poll to change the letters one by one.
Dozens of other things can be attributed to New 2 You’s growth, including generous contributions of more and more donations, volunteers growing in expertise of product areas and operations, strong marketing from the Grand Rapids Christian Schools about us, and kindness from our customers and donors as they tell their friends about us.
While we’re glad to be on the winning team and are so proud of where New 2 You is now, we see our growth as a testament of God’s love for His people that serve Him. Our mission is to forward Christian education in the community, and our successes are evidence that God’s will is being done.
Spotlight on Karen, our Store Manager of 11 Years
Karen has always been the first to recommend who should be spotlighted, and now it’s time we spotlight her!
Meet Karen, our faithful store manager for the past 11 years! Karen has been the biggest blessing that we could have asked for. She has led the store through renovations and merchandising changes, transformed the image of our store, and shaped the New 2 You community that we know today. We are so, so thankful for Karen and all of her innovative ideas, dozens of talents, dedicated work ethic, and heart of service.
Karen was born in Orlando, Florida, as one of seven sisters. Her love for Disney played a large role in her childhood and, at age 18, she landed her first job at Lake Buena Vista in merchandising, launching her retail career. She assisted in managing 12 different retail stores and ordering and replenishing products for them. When she turned 21, Karen moved to Grand Rapids and started working for Hudson’s (known today as Macy’s), where she was the merchandising manager for several departments and later switched to a human resources manager. She never ceases to impress! Her final career before New 2 You was launching the business Basket Works with her business partner and continued for 20 years. Together they created and sold gift baskets for corporate customers out of their retail store in Cascade. When Karen was ready to retire from Basket Works in 2013, a friend of hers saw an advertisement in The Banner for the store manager position at New 2 You. Although she wasn’t looking to work full time, Karen felt called to the position, especially after hearing from the New 2 You board that the store was looking to renovate and step into a new height of merchandising.
Karen’s first year at New 2 You was full of surprises! With constant renovations and departmental changes, the work was tiring but meaningful. The nature of her job has demanded Karen to be both flexible and innovative as each day has unique needs and new donations come in that need to have a home on the sales floor, even when there doesn’t seem to be room. Finding room on the selling floor is what Karen labels as her “secret power.” It’s no surprise that merchandising has been her favorite task.
Karen is most proud of how New 2 You has been able to adapt to higher standards of merchandising and become a beautiful store with a wide variety of products that are clean and presented at the same standards that Macy’s is but for customers of all income levels. New 2 You is a place where anyone can have an excellent shopping experience and purchase goods affordably.
As each day has brought new demands and priorities, it has also brought new memories. Her biggest joy of being at New 2 You has been working with the volunteers. “They are very gifted, and they come from all different walks of life,” Karen shared. However, despite differences in life experiences, these volunteers all have the same heart for the work that New 2 You does in supporting the community and the Grand Rapids Christian Schools. “The people are what make this store incredible. They’re like family—we pray for each other, many socialize together and some shifts even eat dinner together. I love seeing this community build up,” Karen explained. “Being in community with so many people will change your life.” She has deep gratitude for this community and the many volunteers that have shared their lives with her. She’s also truly thankful for the New 2 You board members and volunteers that have trusted her and supported her many “wild and crazy” ideas.
Karen is bringing her life full-circle by moving back to Florida after retirement, where she and her dog, Charley, will join two of her sisters and their dogs in Cape Canaveral, Florida. In pursuing her continued love for Disney, Karen hopes to join the Disney “cast” again after decades of being away and work part-time planning cast member events. We know how Karen likes to stay busy, so she will also be a set of helping hands at her sister’s restaurant, where they are undergoing major renovations. In Cape Canaveral, there are frequent NASA rocket launches in sight, which Karen and her sisters will watch from their backyards together.
Karen has touched the lives of hundreds in the New 2 You community, and she will never be forgotten. While we are so sad to say goodbye to her, we are excited to see what the Lord has in store and send our prayers her way in this time of transition.
In our final week with Karen, we’re celebrating her in-person and online. If you come into the store, we invite you to take a minute to say goodbye. Starting on Tuesday, June 25, we will also be digitally collecting notes that you can write to her.
Thank you for everything, Karen! You are the biggest blessing!
We are so thankful for Tom DeJonge!
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS) superintendent Tom DeJonge to our morning devotion time and praying over the next chapter of his life as he heads into retirement at the end of the month.
Tom DeJonge has been the faithful and devoted superintendent to the GRCS school district with its 5 encompassing schools for the past 20 years. He is deeply loved by the community, and his heart has always been for the students, staff, and families that he serves. We are so thankful for how strongly Tom has led GRCS and supported New 2 You in the process. We’re always so excited to see him bring in donations, shop at our store, and meet the volunteers.
Please join us in sending our prayers to Tom and Grand Rapids Christian Schools during this time of transition and welcome in Aaron Winkle as he steps into Tom’s shoes.
New 2 You 
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