The cute kids at Lifelong Thrift need you to give them MONEY to help them MOVE!!

In case you haven’t heard, Lifelong, the terrific organization that has been at the heart of AIDS/HIV healthcare and advocacy in Seattle for over 30 years (as Lifelong and its parent orgs, Chicken Soup Brigade and Northwest AIDS Foundation), is in the process of leaving its long time home at 11th & Union on Capitol Hill. While Chicken Soup Meal pick-up will happen there, the main offices have moved over to Pike Street above another AIDS/HIV thrift store, and the beloved Lifelong Thrift Store itself is moving to the just vacated Red Light space at 312 Broadway East.

But, it’s expensive to move AND the Lifelong Thrift Store does much more than just sell old clothes and slightly used tchotchkes. They also provide goods and services to the community members who need it the most. Since the store will be closed for a period of time while they move, there’s an obvious stoppage of income as well as the loss of the open store to assist clients. That’s why they’ve created this IndieGoGo campaign to raise badly needed additional funds to assist them in this transition period.

Here’s much of the info from the IndieGoGo Campaign website…please help them out if you can!

The Lifelong Thrift is a Seattle thrift shop institution known for awesome one-of-a kind items. It has resided on Capitol Hill since the 1980s when, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, it was a place of togetherness…a place the symbolized hope in a time of heartache. Today, it is one of the few, if not the only, thrift stores in Seattle that offers a voucher program to HIV positive individuals in need of basic living essentials, like warm coats, dishes, or even an outfit to wear to a job interview. The Lifelong Thrift has given $500,000 in vouchers through the years!

The thrift store is bursting at the seams and can grow no more in its current building while the number of clients served by Lifelong continues to grow. The good news is, the thrift store announced in the Fall that it would be relocating to a new location on Broadway in Capitol Hill — a space that is three times the size of the current space. The new space will allow the thrift store to double the amount of contributions back to Lifelong’s programs delivering food, housing, and health services to people living with chronic illnesses including HIV/AIDS.

What project?

Due to some unexpected expenses, the Lifelong Thrift is conducting a campaign to cover some costs of the move. The Lifelong Thrift will be closing on January 24 and will re-open mid-March. During the entire month of February, the Lifelong Thrift will not be contributing needed funds to fuel Lifelong’s work nor will clients be able to receive thrift store vouchers. That loss, combined with some additional funds needed for a build-out of the new space, is why we’ve come to you for your help.

Why is this project important?

We heart our clients and our community. We want to make sure the Lifelong Thrift has every possible chance of succeeding so that we can channel more funds to Lifelong’s programs. We also like hiring wonderful talent and giving back to the community through job creation, another awesome bonus to making sure the store is up and running.

What will the project fund?

• Clothing and houseware vouchers to help clients get back on their feet;
• Nutritious meals and bags of groceries that are tailored to meet the medical needs of our clients;
• Safer sex kits distributed at bars and bathhouses;
• Personal hygiene and cleaning kits that include cleaners, detergent, mops and brooms, soap, towels, tissues and more;
• Nutritional counseling;
• Bus tickets to help clients get to and from doctor’s appointments;
• Construction expenses associated with making the space work for our needs.

 

If you can, please help out this community treasure. Unlike some other shady and questionable recent additions to our neighborhood and community that also run a thrift store full of crap from L.A. that no one wanted, Lifelong actually GIVES BACK TO SEATTLE! Plus, they are GOOD NEIGHBORS!

Show them we care about them.

Tags: Community Services, HIV/AIDS Support Services, Lifelong, Lifelong Thrift Store, shopping, Thrift Stores