WATCH: New thrift shop to fund care for ill children
The NPO, Umduduzi – Hospice Care for Children, opened the thrift shop at Sandy Centre in Pinetown in May, and its members encourage donors and potential thrifters to pay them a visit.
The NPO's clinical director, Dr Julia Ambler, said the shop's stock is sourced through 'active social media support' which results in good quality products being donated.
Ambler and her colleagues, administrator Michelle Norman and the shop's sales exec Zama Gcaba, encourage potential donors to give 'anything you think someone else would like to buy'.
'The idea is for people to shop with dignity – people who cannot afford the pricier retail stores, this shop is for them to find something lovely,' explained Dr Ambler.
So far, the reception at the centre and in the community at large has been positive, with support seen through shoppers buying the quality products at affordable prices.
Norman said since Umduduzi is an NPO which is not funded by the government, the idea to open up a thrift shop was to create 'a more sustainable income stream' for 'a very good cause which is caring for very sick children'.
'What is not sold at the shop goes towards the children we care for and their families,' said Norman.
Also read: 5 Durban children's homes to support this Mandela Day
Gcaba thanked the staff at the Spar outlet located at the centre that constantly refers customers to the thrift shop.
'When they get here, they exclaim at the prices,' said Gcaba, who added that some of the items sold are new and had been donated by closed down boutiques.
'But we reduce the prices of those items drastically,' she said.
For a large quantity of goods, collection can be arranged, however drop-offs to the shop are preferred.
The shop runs from 08:00 to 16:30 on weekdays and until 13:00 on Saturdays.
Umduduzi – Hospice Care for Children is a dedicated children's palliative care service providing care to children with life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses in KZN. The organisation is entirely donor funded.
The shop stocks clothing, household goods, toys, children's books, puzzles, games and various other essentials at affordable prices.
Dr Ambler said the Umduduzi Hope Chest thrift shop is committed to promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness.
'By encouraging the reuse of items, we strive to reduce waste and minimise the environmental footprint associated with the production of new goods,' said Dr Ambler.
Donors can contact Norman on 072 829 8384 or Dr Ambler on 076 417 8977 or visit the shop at Sandy Centre in Pinetown.
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