The Sharing Shelf, the nonprofit clothing bank serving Westchester County, will hold its Fall Luncheon on October 23, honoring the volunteers who make its crucial mission possible. The Sharing Shelf depends on more than 800 unique volunteers each year, who fill more than 2,100 volunteer slots (of 2.5-3.0 hours each) annually. Those volunteers provide in total more than 5,500 hours of selfless support: sorting donated clothing, organizing and shelving them, filling requested packs of clothing, providing inventory control, managing and storing off-season clothing, and so much more.
The Luncheon – titled “Hearts, Hands & Hope” – will feature a panel discussion involving four of the volunteers and moderated by Tony Aiello, Emmy Award-winning reporter for CBS News New York.The four volunteers represent the variety of ways that volunteers become involved with and pivotal to The Sharing Shelf. They are:
o Nicole Allen of New Rochelle, who first became involved through a sorority clothing drive and a Teen Boutique event at New Rochelle High School. She now makes volunteering a weekly priority, preparing personalized clothing packs and helping teens find outfits that make them feel confident.
o Lisa Blau of North Castle, who is one of The Sharing Shelf’s longest-serving volunteers. She initially volunteered alongside her children, who grew up volunteering for us. She now gives time around her work schedule, carefully selecting and packing clothing that children and teens will feel proud to wear.
o Maria Guarnieri of Rye, who is The Sharing Shelf’s longest-serving volunteer, with more than a decade of service. She has helped us grow from a small operation by taking on a wide range of roles: among them, sorting and packing clothing, serving on committees, leading volunteer groups, and responding to needs after hours.
o Alicia Ifshin of Armonk, who began as a clothing donor and sometimes volunteers more than 30 hours a week. She has dramatically streamlined The Sharing Shelf’s baby room and, with her husband, established a five-year matching challenge to fund new clothing purchases where donations fall short.
The discussion will illuminate why they find volunteering at The Sharing Shelf so meaningful. It will explore the vital role that volunteering thereby plays in helping children and youth in need in Westchester have the clothing they need to feel confident, valued, hopeful about the day ahead, and ready to participate fully in school and daily life. As Alicia Ifshin says, “Clothing is about hope.”
Friday, October 23, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Coveleigh Club, 459 Stuyvesant Avenue, Rye, NY