Volunteer Services

THE SHOPS AT GARDEN SPOT VILLAGE

Garden Spot Village’s trio of shopping venues offer a unique collection of essentials, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gifts and lightly used housewares and furniture. They also offer an opportunity to shop with intention and make a difference at the same time!

LINDEN offers a variety of essentials, clothing and gift items. Shoppers can find bananas, milk, over the counter medicines, delicious baked goods from Shady Maple as well as specialty soaps, jewelry, women’s clothing and accessories and gifts. Many specialty food items are also sourced from local food wholesalers.

Linden offers shopping convenience, but also plays an important role in the life of residents and team members at Garden Spot Village. Residents find community and purpose through volunteer opportunities in the shop. Linden volunteers purchase bananas and other essentials, stock shelves and check out customers.

In addition, approximately 20% of Linden sales go to the Benevolent Care Fund at Garden Spot Village, helping residents who, through no fault of their own, have exhausted their resources and can no longer pay for the life-sustaining services they receive. In 2021, Linden sales totaled $145,000; approximately $29,000 was donated to the Benevolent Care Fund. This year, sales through April 30 have totaled $46,000, meaning $10,200 was already donated to the Benevolent Care Fund this year. Shopping at Linden makes a difference!

SHARE & CARE THRIFT SHOP offers an ever-evolving collection of lightly-used furniture, housewares, jewelry and home decor. Shoppers can find tableware, glassware and small appliances in addition to furniture. Other items available include jewelry, handbags, scarves, collectibles and more.

Monthly sales on a rotating list of categories encourages frequent shopping. People from the local community, team members and residents enjoy the opportunity to shop frequently and find treasures for their homes, for their children’s homes and even a grandchild’s dorm room or first apartment. Share & Care also plays an important role in the community. In addition to providing volunteer opportunities, Share & Care accepts donations of household items and furniture from new residents and residents who are transitioning from one home to another at Garden Spot. These valuable donations make a difference!

Because Share & Care is staffed and managed by volunteers, 100% of sales go to the Benevolent Care Fund. In 2021, Share & Care sales totaled $80,000. Through April 30, 2022, sales totaled $36,000. Donating and shopping at Share & Care matters!

THE ARTISANS CORNER, Garden Spot’s newest shopping venue, offers one-of-a-kind, handcrafted art and gifts made by 25 resident artists. Open Thursday and Friday, 10am-4pm and Saturday, 10am-2pm, Artisans Corner is staffed entirely by resident volunteers. Participating artists manage the inventory, hand craft products, clean the shop and wait on customers.

Products are sold on consignment, meaning participating artists receive a portion of the proceeds of the sale of their products in the shop. Another portion goes to the Benevolent Care Fund. Since its opening last November through April, the Artisans Corner has had over $24,000 in sales and has generated over $6,000 for the Benevolent Care Fund.

Currently, when you choose an item with a blue dot, 80% of your purchase is donated to Reach Global/Evangelical Free Church of America to support the organization’s crisis relief work in Ukraine. The remaining 20% is donated to the Benevolent Care Fund. Shopping at The Artisans Corner benefits the Benevolent Care Fund, Ukraine and provides a wonderful marketplace for our creative residents.

Share & Care Thrift Store