Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe volunteers, back row from left, Christina Pierce, Carol Whalen, Tina Dunlop, Cindy Gaylord. Front row, Anne Gelinas, Mayme Lajoie, WHS Adjustment Counselor Carrie Hildreth-Fiordalice for the Kinship Fund, Blessed Buys volunteer Barbara James and Heidi Cote, Volunteers in Public Schools coordinator.
Reminder Publishing photo by Amy Porter
WESTFIELD — The Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe recently donated a portion of its quarterly profits, $1,000, to the Kinship Fund at Westfield High School. The thrift store is a project of the First Congregational Church on 18 Broad St.
In a letter of thanks, Westfield High School adjustment counselor Carrie Hildreth-Fiordalice said the Kinship Fund originated in 2007 as an initiative by two school adjustment counselors and a school counselor at Westfield High School to address homelessness and housing instability among adolescents.
She said initially the goal was to open a transitional residence which would serve to house students committed to graduating from high school, but who are on their own due to extenuating circumstances, such as death of a single parent or guardian, severe parental substance use, family violence, child abandonment, parental incarceration and child abuse.
“After much community work, this goal became a reality with the opening of Our House by Domus, located on Broad Street,” Hildreth-Fiordalice wrote. “Even with the opening of Our House, however, the needs of students who face instability and premature independence continue to affect our community. By having the Kinship Fund, we are able to help these students in concrete ways that help support the goals of self-sufficiency and overall well-being.
She said in the last few years, in addition to students who are prematurely independent, couch-surfing or homeless, there has also been an influx of grandparents raising their grandkids. “When something happens to them, they need a lot of support after, and don’t receive support. There is hardship through that as well.”
“We’ve had the fund for a long time, but we’ve definitely used it a lot in the last few years, and donations have dwindled,” Hildreth-Fiordalice said. She said they try to help students with some big ticket items, like getting their driver’s license, helping them with car insurance, or participating in school activities, like the prom.
“When they don’t have an adult, there are a lot of barriers for kids on their own. The Kinship Fund allows us to give concrete help to teenagers to participate in activities and to be independent — sometimes they just need some support to get there,” she said.
Hildreth-Fiordalice said they are so appreciative for the church’s support, mentioning Doug and Barbara James in particular. She said once people have tried to help, they realize all of the barriers.
“We had a robust fund that we were very careful with, but we’ve had some hard hits with housing, especially over the last few years, and the fund is depleted,” she said.
Anyone wishing to donate may send a check to Westfield High School for the Kinship Fund in care of Adjustment Counselor Carrie Hildreth-Fiordalice or VIPS Coordinator Heidi Cote, 177 Montgomery Road, Westfield, MA 01085.
Blessed Buys is a community thrift shop run by volunteers from the First Congregational Church in Westfield. They carry new or nearly new clothing — men’s and women’s, jewelry, home décor, small appliances, books, toys, shoes, craft supplies, lamps, art, and so much more. All proceeds are put toward church costs as well as community nonprofits.
Blessed Buys is located in the Old Town Hall on 20 Broad St. next to the First Congregational Church. The store is open on Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
