BRICK – As a 14-year old runaway living in a shelter, Tiffany deSousa recalls a colorful, hand-knit woolen hat that came in as a donation that she imagined was handed down from grandchild to great-grandchild that could have been thrown away, “but it kept my ears warm,” she said decades later.
As the founder of Choose Love Celebrate Life (CLCL) deSousa is the force behind Community Threads, a store that does not charge shoppers for donated items, now open at the township-owned Civic Plaza in a no-cost leased storefront.
There are no shelters for homeless youth in Ocean, Monmouth or Atlantic Counties, so deSousa founded the non-profit organization in late 2023.
“It’s very important that we restore that service,” she said. “It’s going to take a little bit more work to get a shelter up and running, and in the meantime it’s important that we really prevent family crises, prevent runaway homeless youth because there is no place for them to safely turn, so prevention is even more crucial.”
CLCL has been rolling out several pilot programs and initiatives – including Community Threads – which is actually the second phase of a three-part “Community Cares” pilot program.
The first phase of the Community Cares pilot program is the Community Cares Connection Line where people can call and be connected to the closest donation site for whatever they need, ranging from clothes, personal hygiene needs, pet food, diapers, where to go for free eyeglasses, health care, utility assistance, HIV and veterans-specific services and more. (The number is 732-800-1222).
“There are so many programs and groups and non-profits that are out there, trying to do that work, but people don’t know they’re there,” she said.
The thrift store offers free clothing, linens, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, kids’ items, and “things that a person would be neglectful if they were not able to provide for their child,” deSousa said.
The goals of Community Threads is to reduce one of the financial strains of low-income families, alleviate some parental stress and reduce social isolation, she said.
“All of those add to child maltreatment, runaway homeless youth, family crises and other things like substance abuse, domestic violence – all those negatives that we don’t want to see happen,” deSousa said.
Community Threads fills the need for such things as garbage bags, soap, winter coats and other items that can not be purchased with food stamps.
Families will have access to the store, but so will the elderly, disabled, veterans, young people, the homeless, kinship foster parents and others, deSousa said.
“It’s designed so that if you need it, you can go get it, and we’re not there to question why you need it,” deSousa said. “We’re making it a really welcoming space with a community whiteboard with local resources, an area where the kids can play while parents shop, changing rooms so you can try on clothes, and in check-out you’re treated with the dignity of a real shopper.”
The third stage will be a delivery system where the needed items can be dropped off with no contact and no stigma, making sure that everyone has access to the service, she said.
“It’s community helping community – these are your neighbors giving things that would otherwise be in the garbage,” she said. “This gives an opportunity to pass that along, and what community can do and what community can be, and how we can help each other and have an impact that we don’t even realize,” she said.
Ryann Kolodziej and Ray O’Donnell, both interns majoring in social work from Ocean County College, will be volunteering their time at Community Threads and were present for the opening ceremony.
“All the items in the store are word-of-mouth donations,” Kolodziej said. “I’m looking forward to helping families find hope in a place they feel safe,” she said.
“I want to be able to interact and help the people who need it,” said O’Donnell. “I’m happy to have the opportunity and purpose that will help to impact the community.”
Community Threads accepts donations, but is in particular need right now for children’s clothes and shoes.
For more information on the organization, including volunteer opportunities, visit clclfoundation.org.
