New 2 You

Meet Bernie and Dan, one of the fantastic volunteer couples at New 2 You that each use their gifts in vastly different ways to serve! Bernie began volunteering at New 2 You about six years by cashiering while doing our store’s bookkeeping remotely. Dan started volunteering about two and a half years ago in the men’s clothing department and is now the department manager.

Having been an accountant all her life and spending part of the time in accounting at the Grand Rapids Christian Schools’ main office, Bernie enjoys being able to use her unique accounting skills to serve the store. In his earlier years, Dan, however, would have never pictured himself in the men’s clothing department, but he saw a need within it upon coming to New 2 You and has been glad to learn how to manage it effectively ever since.

When asked what the couple looks forward to most when coming to New 2 You, Bernie replied that she loves seeing the regular Tuesday morning customers as she cashiers and getting to know them personally. Dan loves being busy and knowing that his work is going to a great cause: supporting Christian education, which the couple believes strongly in. Both are very proud of everything about New 2 You and are so thankful to have gotten connected with such a vibrant store and community.

We’re so grateful for Bernie and Dan and their unique contributions to the store and community! Thank you, both!

Meet Naomi! Naomi is our social media and external outreach coordinator. She also occasionally works on Saturdays by either floor managing or cashiering. Naomi first began working at New 2 You four years ago to raise money for her Winterim travels through Grand Rapids Christian High School and has said that “New 2 You was the same store then that it is now, but my view of it has changed drastically in the past few years—this place is now a home for me where I continuously feel loved and supported.”

One of Naomi’s favorite parts about working at New 2 You is getting to tell the story of the store through social media. “New 2 You is always my go-to store for anything that I need, and it’s a fun challenge to help others grow in that brand loyalty.” The loving community is also a very special part of New 2 You that Naomi loves to tell about. She constantly feels appreciated for the work that she does and enjoys being able to extend appreciation of volunteers through the content that she posts.

Naomi couldn’t be more thankful for the supportive group of people at New 2 You, everything that she’s learned on the job, and how New 2 You has given her a vision of what she hopes to do someday. As a current business student hoping to go into nonprofit administration or start her own company, she feels that the passions she has for the business world have come from seeing and experiencing New 2 You’s business model supporting customers, donors, the community, and Grand Rapids Christian families.

Naomi does special work for New 2 You, and we love hearing her story of why she loves New 2 You!

Meet Barb! Barb is one of our fantastic “shoe ladies” who keep our shoe racks full of beautiful, high quality shoes that we all love. Barb started volunteering at New 2 You ten years ago, and we can’t thank her enough for all of her hard work and fun spirit. She was encouraged to begin volunteering when a friend told her about the sense of purpose and community that New 2 You brings. Soon after, she found her niche in the shoe department.

When asked why she believes that customers shop and donate to New 2 You specifically, Barb answered by mentioning how the beautiful merchandising helps create a very positive experience. As someone with a background in retail, she’s very familiar with the importance of merchandising. 

She also highlighted how New 2 You supports the Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS), a local school district. Barb does not have a connection to the GRCS, but she’s a strong supporter of Christian education and is excited by how New 2 You brings millions of dollars to the local school district to support families in the community. “One of the greatest parts about New 2 You is its local aspect,” she explained.

When Barb first came to New 2 You, she was inspired by the optimism and joy that her volunteer friend displayed. Soon after, she felt warmly welcomed by the New 2 You community and by our customers. “I always have fun here,” she added. 

Barb is such a blessing to our New 2 You family. Thank you, Barb!

Meet John and Evelyn! This couple comes in multiple days each week and is particularly known for how they use their unique gifts to serve New 2 You and the Grand Rapids Christian Schools. 

John became involved with the store around 16 years ago when he was asked to fix a bike. He has since been the “go-to handyman” for furniture, electronics, and everything else while doubling as board member and the designer for New 2 You’s renovation projects. John has a background in building design and has been instrumental in New 2 You’s growth. Evelyn regularly cashiers, arranges housewares on the shelves, and is part of the Pack and Pickup Team. Evelyn’s kind character and attention to detail make her an incredibly special volunteer that shines a light of love to the customers that she interacts with on the floor and the families that she meets through Pack and Pickup. In every role that John and Evelyn serve in, they couldn’t have a bigger smile. 

When asked why a person would shop at New 2 You, the couple responded by highlighting the strong quality products that we put out, the clean and inviting atmosphere, and the friendly volunteers that serve each day. “New 2 You isn’t the typical thrift store,” they agreed. John and Evelyn are only two of the dozens of volunteers that use their unique talents to serve, and their diligence is very visible.

We are so thankful for everything that John and Evelyn do while they demonstrate their love for God and the community with big smiles on their faces. Thank you, John and Evelyn!

Meet two of our beloved volunteers, Marilyn and Herb! Volunteering three days each week, this couple is widely loved and recognized by our volunteers and customers. Marilyn has been volunteering since 2004 and does “about a dozen tasks,” such as replenishing racks and shelves with various clothing items. She has an eye for what needs to be done around the store and always does it with a smile. Herb has been joining Marilyn at New 2 You since 2010 and tests and prepares electronics. Behind the scenes, he also prepares financial and analytical reports with data from the cash registers on sales and product departments, making him an essential part of our store operations and planning. 

Marilyn and Herb have found a very special community of volunteers and customers at New 2 You. They love being able to catch up with their friends and serve together. When the couple comes home, they are always excited to share stories from their day at the store with each other. Marilyn also mentioned that one of her favorite parts about volunteering is interacting with customers, being seen as a friendly face to many, and cheering them up on occasion. These interactions are “what keep them young,” Marilyn noted.

When asked what inspires the couple to continue volunteering, Herb answered that he “loves to contribute time and effort that’s necessary to help the Grand Rapids Christian students to help with their tuition payments. That’s really what it’s all about.” Volunteering, they explained, gives them purpose in their retired years. They can confidently say that volunteering has done more for them and their wellbeing than they could ever return to New 2 You as a volunteer. 

We’re so grateful for Marilyn and Herb’s heart of service in everything that they do! Thank you, Marilyn and Herb!

Today is the last day at Grand Rapids Christian High School for Grace and Lily, and we’re so proud of them and can’t wait to see where God takes them in the future. Grace and Lily began working at New 2 You 1.5 and 2 years ago, respectively, both as Winterim students earning money for their school trips.

Grace and Lily most love cashiering, but they also enjoy hanging up clothes, sorting housewares, interacting with customers and volunteers, and learning more about their co-workers each day. Additionally, they both greatly enjoy using their Spanish skills to serve Spanish-speaking customers when they shop.

These girls have very exciting plans for the future! Grace will go to Hope College and study Studio Art with a minor in Spanish and possibly also earn a degree in Psychology or Education. Despite being away for school, she hopes to work at New 2 You over breaks to stay connected with the loving community. Lily plans to go to Calvin University, where she will be studying Biology with a minor in Spanish on the pre-med track. She’s very excited to continue working at New 2 You into her college years. 

Being a student at GRCHS and a staff member at New 2 You has given them such a unique and valuable experience. Lily and Grace cherish the community where loving people of all ages come together and serve. “I’ve found a lot of good things and a lot of good people at New 2 You,” Lily emphasized. Grace has appreciated how working at New 2 You has expanded the Grand Rapids Christian network that she grew up in, noting how fun it is to be a cashier for teachers and friends. “There’s always someone new to talk to,” she commented. 

“I’ve found a lot of good things and a lot of good people at New 2 You,”

These young women have such bright futures ahead, and we couldn’t be more proud of them. Thank you, Grace and Lily, for your consistent kindness and hard work!