on December 6, 2019
Mother Marianne’s West Side Boutique served 112 people in the month of October, reports Coordinator Nancy Robert.
“This includes children, parents, miscellaneous adults, and some homeless individuals” who received needed clothing and hygiene products.
The boutique, located in a former second floor classroom above the soup kitchen, “has six regular volunteers and myself who cover 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays,” she notes.
Now with an additional classroom set aside for children’s needs and home bedding accessories, she would like to have more volunteers and be open one more day each week, “preferably Friday.”
The volunteers interview patrons to establish need.
Those 112 received such items as children’s clothes and toys, shirts, pants, sweatshirts, sweatpants, pajamas, underwear, shoes, jackets, hoodies, hats, scarves, gloves. Many also received hygiene products, such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste and tooth brushes, mouthwash, lotion, tissues, toilet paper. First aid and health items also were provided, such as cough and cold medicine, pain relievers. A new set of clothes was provided for an individual going to a job interview, and two duffel bags for the homeless.
In addition, on the first Monday of the month, from noon to 1, “two hair stylists provide 10 to 12 haircuts,” Nancy notes. Some “80 percent are men,” and the rest are women and chlldren.
Boutique & Salon Volunteers
Left to right: Phyllis Bonanza, Nancy Robert (coordinator), Lynda Briggs, Deb Morehead (hair stylist), Linda Perrymen (hair stylist), Julie Crandall, Nancy Wadas, Vicky Riordan, Crissy Indeverno, Pat McCraith, and Ed Morgan (soup kitchen director). Missing is volunteer Kim Depastene. Photo was taken during the soup kitchen’s rededication celebration.