Thrifty Shoppers Aid Many Others

RIO GRANDE – Over the span of five years, This ‘N’ That Thrift Shop, in the rear plaza of Village Shoppes of Rio Grande, has sprouted like the Biblical mustard seed. What began in a former bank building across the parking lot has evolved into a shop that retailed unwanted items into profits that aid many local charities.
That reference to the spicy seed is actually an outreach of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Stone Harbor. The Mustard Seed of Cape May County is the faith-based 501(c) 3 not-for-profit corporation that registered with the state in 2009, although it had operated the thrift shop since 2007.
The mission statement of the organization is to “address the basic needs of the poor and underserved of our communities in Cape May County.”
Mustard Seed helps accomplish its goal by supporting, nurturing and incubating projects by individuals and organization that seek to address those issues.
A portion of the Mustard Seed’s funds help address the needs of affordable housing in the area.
Assisting the shop is a group known as the Heavenly Scavengers. That group, with the aid of grass roots support, is allowed to enter dwellings that are about to be demolished and retrieve furniture, appliances and other unwanted property. Those goods, otherwise destined for the scrap heap, are sorted and displayed in the style of a retail store, only with prices that are truly affordable, especially for those on very limited budgets.
How limited? Toddler’s clothing for 50 cents, an evening gown for $8, even collectible dolls and porcelain creations are astoundingly low prices.
According to Shellie Tibbits, president of the Board of Trustees, the community response to the shop and its efforts have been, and continue to demonstrate the good-hearted charity of so many local residents.
As Tibbets sat with a Herald reporter in two comfortable white wicker chairs by the main entrance of This ‘N’ That shop on Oct. 10, the work of the shop continued. Two staff members helped carry a sofa to a waiting vehicle. As they did, two cars pulled up laden with bags of clothing and other merchandise that went directly into the sorting room.
Tibbets noted that only good, clean clothing, unstained, untorn, and many with tags still attached, are donated by folks in Stone Harbor, Avalon, Cape May, Ocean City and elsewhere, who are eager to have their cast-offs benefit someone else.
Interspersed with the shop is “The Branches,” an outreach of St. Mary’s and St. Barnabas Episcopal Mission, Villas. There, all are welcome to sit, enjoy the warmth (or cool, depending upon the season) and partake of friendship, perhaps soup, and a listening ear, if one is needed.
Tibbets said the shop was located, on purpose, in the heart of a community that has many who can use its services, and is near public transportation.
“We wanted to target the underserved in our county. Most of those are right here…off the bus line, near (county) Social Services and across the parking lot from Catholic Charities,” Tibbets said.
When the shop was founded by Tim and Gail Noble and Betty Couch, its mission was to provide quality, gently used merchandise at reasonable prices in an attractively merchandised, friendly atmosphere.
That mission continues at Vermont and Second Street here.
Volunteers help staff the store. They represent local churches, work programs and the community.
“Not only is This N That a place to shop, it is also a place to meet and greet friends and neighbors,” said Tibbets.
The assortment of merchandise is eclectic, and almost whimsical. There is a room filled with CDs and records, another with kitchen items, still another with children’s toys, and clothing. But don’t overlook the set of fine china for $35, or pairs of gently worn shoes.
Need pants? Some appear to never have been worn, same with blouses and shirts.
The assortment goes from bay to bay to bay, a paradise for bargain hunters, the thrifty, or those who are truly in need and have little to spend.
Better than getting great bargains is the fact that shopping at the store is “a community service,” said Tibbets. That is because over $400,000 has been generated by that store that has been turned into an assortment of benefits for those in need.
Over $5,000 was donated to Hope Pregnancy Center and Christ Child Society to buy cribs for mothers experiencing difficult times. Other funds were used to buy diapers, food for area food pantries and fresh fruit, such as oranges and apples, something not ordinarily distributed by food pantries.
Beyond young families, the benevolence reached to Atlantic Cape Community College to buy laptop computers for students who otherwise might not have been able to afford them, Tibbets added.
The shop has helped Habitat for Humanity, and is in the process of granting funds to Woodbine Elementary School to purchase uniforms, ponchos, and even dental care for children of “working poor” who might ordinarily be denied access to such services because their family incomes are just over requirement levels.
“So our little store does a lot to help the community,” she added.
She noted, too, the work done by Heavenly Scavengers that has helped many young families “set up housekeeping” with everything from sofas to pots and pans.”
“There are people who come to us and say ‘I do not have anything.’” Tibbets said with a note of sadness in her voice.
The shop generally follows the seasons in this tourism-based county. In spring, many donations are made as second home owners discard former furnishings, curtains and more, as they want new items.
Once vacation homes are closed for the winter, there is another season of goods entering the processing room.
When Christmas nears, shoppers on limited budgets, or who seek some vintage gift for a loved one, flock to the seven bays in search of just the right item.
The store accepts cash, checks and credit cards, said Tibbets.
Asked if the proximity to The Arc Thrift Store just a few blocks east is a competitor, Tibbets smiled and said, “No, we complement each other. We share ideas, it’s not competition.”
Volunteers enjoy their time together, Tibbets noted of the roughly 20 who offer their spare hours for the benefit of the store and others.
Those who speak Spanish are able to translate for those who otherwise might not be understood by volunteers, so all work well together, she noted.
Many go to the store “in utter despair,” said Tibbets. The father may have lost his job; the mother might have lost her job and the family car. The come in and say I don’t know how I got in this position I am in. We are starting over again. Through our kindness and caring, we offer hope to many. We are all kind, caring and we try our best to help others,” Tibbets said.
“The key is to give everyone hope and preserve their dignity, not a hand out, it’s a hand up,” said Tibbets.
Last year, she noted, 400 blankets were distributed to local homeless people who might otherwise have had nothing to keep them warm.
A truck from a food pantry stops monthly, and when it does, there are usually 100 who are eager to take what is offered, she said.
“This economy is actually helping our business a lot,” Tibbets noted.
Thank goodness, she noted, “There are a lot of shoppers around here.”