Village Gift

Sharing out this awesome program! Check out Shirley Thrift Store now in Waupaca location!

This is something that’s been on my heart for a long time.

As a mom, I know how fast kids grow and how hard it can be to keep up with clothing costs when you’re just trying to make it work day to day. I’ve lived that, and I know so many other families are feeling it too.

That’s really where SwapMoms started.

Back when I was at the farmers market in Fond du Lac, I would bring clothing just to give away to anyone who needed it. But something really special started happening… people started bringing clothes back to swap, trade, and share with other families. It turned into something so simple, but so meaningful, neighbors helping neighbors in the most practical way.

I always knew in my heart I wanted to build it into something bigger, but I never had the space to really do it right.

Now, through Shirley’s Thrift Store new store coming to Waupaca!, we finally do.

We are so excited (and honestly a little emotional) to officially bring this program to our new location as a soft launch!!!

Here’s how it will work...

You’ll be able to bring in gently used clothing. We will go through everything and make sure it’s something we can accept and use in the program. Once your items are approved, you’ll receive store credits based on what we’re able to take.

Those credits can then be used to “swap” for other clothing in the store, so your items turn into something someone else needs, and you leave with what your family needs right now.

There is a $10 participation fee that helps cover the time, sorting, and work that goes into making this program run smoothly. This is what allows us to keep everything organized and fair for everyone.

But I want to be very clear about something that matters a lot to me: if a family needs help, they will not be turned away. We will always work with people.

We’ll be sharing more details soon about how the credit system works, but for now, this is our soft launch… and the beginning of something I truly hope brings a lot of good into our community.

My goal has never changed: help families save money, make clothing more accessible, and keep good clothing out of landfills when it can still be used.

Right now, this program is only for the kids section.
And I really want feedback!

I would truly love to know your thoughts—would your family use something like this? Does this feel helpful? What would make it better?

Create a vignette in your home with items that bring you joy. Inspiration is free at Antique Up - Stevens Point !