NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Parents Center is once again hosting its annual Tag Sale fundraiser on Saturday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The tag sale will be located at 220 Main St. on the front lawn of the Unitarian Society and is consistently one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the Parents Center.
The Northampton Parents Center is a nonprofit cooperative drop-in center for children, birth to kindergarten age, and their caregivers. Since 1986, Northampton Parents Center has provided a safe, nurturing environment for families with young children to socialize. Free daily drop-in playgroups are Monday through Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Northampton Parents Center Executive Director Lindsey King started with the center as the program assistant in 2023 before taking her new role this past year. She told Reminder Publishing the tag sale has been one of the center’s original fundraisers for almost four decades and has served as a good annual connector of the community at large.
“I feel like it checks so many boxes as a total community event. Families have the opportunity to donate and get rid of some of the things that they don’t need anymore,” King said. “At this point, because it’s been going on for so long, people really look forward to it and plan on it.”
Gently, clean and good conditioned used items, toys, books and more will be available at a pay-what-you-want rate with 100% of proceeds going to support the Northampton Parents Center’s free programming.
King said as her first year at the helm of the Parents Center has gone on, she has been able to learn and appreciate more about the program and its offerings within the community. She added the center is a hub for children and families of the community to gather and continue strengthening the foundations of community and that there are parents of children who frequent the center who attended the same program as children.
“This year for me has been very full of learning and just feeling deeply appreciative and just privilege to get to continue to hold this space for families in the community,” King said. “To get to see parents and caregivers connecting with each other, having a cup of coffee while the kids play — parenting is just really hard and I think when you have a place like this that’s free, it’s just a wonderful thing to be able to offer.”
Through the center, parents also find connection while making a stop in with their children, according to King. She added a big part of her efforts is to allow parents and caregivers to see the community available through the program.
King said groups like the Northampton Parents Center are always important for community and for making parents aware there is a community out there to lean on when parenting.
“Parenting is one of those things that’s very isolating,” King said. “I love that parents can come here. Parenting’s not getting any easier, but I think this helps take the edge off a little bit.”
The Parents Center is located in the lower level of Edwards Church. More information is available at northamptonparentscenter.org.
Donations are being accepted until Thursday, June 5. A rain date is set for Saturday, June 14.
Volunteers are needed for the tag sale as well and those interested in getting involved or learning more in general about the tag sale can contact King at npctagsale@gmail.com.
“We’re a small operation constantly trying to fundraise to make sure the programs can run. To think about the wide reach that we have, and when people visit from far away and out of state, they say there is nothing like this where they live,” King said. “It’s an opportunity for outreach. Families will hopefully see the tag sale, be able to get something they need, and maybe from there start coming to playgroup or finding more community through the center.”
