Pride in Their Purpose

Margaret DeVault is one of the many volunteers at Feed and Clothe My People.

One thing’s for certain, the ladies (and the occasional gentleman) of Feed & Clothe My People (FCMP) are incredibly proud of the organization and the work that they do. The storefront, located at 204 N. 14th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, provides food, clothing, home accessories, greeting cards, jewelry and so much more, that one could spend a day looking through the place! What stands out though, are the quality, cleanliness and reasonably priced merchandise that you’ll find there.

That, you can attribute to the behind the scenes work of the volunteers at FCMP. Every item that is brought through the door is thoroughly checked to make sure that nothing is broken, stained or even “out of fashion.” From there, items are organized, hung on hangers, priced and put out for sale.

So why do these ladies make the effort to come in week after week to sort through bags and boxes of donated items? I heard it over and over – “We’re like a family here.” There is a mother and daughter that volunteer together, volunteers that have been there for 10 years and even an “over 90” volunteer who can’t imagine being anywhere else.

Many of the FCMP volunteers have lost spouses or are away from their families. “It gets lonely when you’re by yourself,” one of the volunteers states. “I wanted to find a place where I could be around people and help people at the same time.”

And while each volunteer there has their own story about “how” and “why” they came to FCMP, one thing that was consistent was their appreciation for the work of Stella Huff, director of operations. “She’s one of the best things about being here,” one of the volunteers remarked. “She’s the backbone of the organization and keeps it going day in and day out.”

I couldn’t help but marvel at the precision of the FCMP operation. Every “station” had their system – all of which ran smoothly with laughter and conversation at every stop. Nothing brought more smiles to the faces of the ladies though, than when I went to retrieve my jacket only to find out that it had made its way to a hanger for pricing. These ladies are motivated!

The volunteers here have found their purpose, and they love what they do. What about you?

Feed and Clothe My People is currently looking for individuals to support needy children of Door County families by purchasing items from a child’s “Wish List” for Christmas. If you would like to purchase items for a child or are interested in volunteer opportunities at FCMP, please contact Stella Huff at 920.743.9053 or via email at [email protected]. They are particularly in need of a greeter at the door to help unload donations and move bags and boxes.

For volunteer opportunities at other nonprofit organizations in Door County, please visit the Volunteer Center website at http://www.VolunteerDoorCounty.com or contact the Volunteer Center at 920.746.7704.