THE CLOTHES LINE

celebrating grand opening in Bradford next week

In addition to affordable pricing, the store also supports any person in need with free clothing

ANASTASIA ORLANDO

the REALTOR with a big heart...

connected with the local South Simcoe charity-contact-community-services because they each had a personal story of hardship and expressed they were now in a position to give back.

“Attending a meeting on this initiative I realized I was in the same boardroom space I was in five years ago when I connected for career support. Now we are in a position to give back. It is a pretty awe-inspiring experience to be on the other side and reflect on how far we have come,” commented Anastasia.

“We would not be where we are today without the support of agencies like CONTACT,” added Rose.

Thanks to their initiative, in collaboration with the CONTACT staff team, the store will host its grand opening on Dec. 1, 2021 on location from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

(by invitation only due to COVID protocol).

The Clothes Line will incorporate its successes in Alliston and will be 90 per cent volunteer operated. All revenue stays local and supports CONTACT’s charitable programming and community services.

Emily McIntosh, Executive Director of CONTACT says,

“A social enterprise of this magnitude is 100 per cent reliant on the strength of the community of which it is embedded. It has been amazing to see the big hearts of Bradford that have made this possible. As an organization dedicated to addressing the ever-changing social needs of the community we serve, CONTACT is proud to launch this store which is a direct way to bring people from all walks of life together and then reinvest the profits into making our community the best it can be.”

Already volunteers have been engaged in set-up, including a local walking group with a social conscious, ‘The Bradford Hustlers’. Together, they teamed up with the Anastasia and Rose team to promote local coat and winter clothing collection and sorting of stock for merchandising.

“We are forever grateful to our dedicated volunteers and community partners for making possible this additional support to the folks of Bradford,” stated CONTACT Board Chair, Valerie Ellis.

The Bradford Clothes Line will be open to the public for donations:

every Monday and open for shopping every Wednesday

from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. starting Dec. 1, 2021

…to start.

The store is actively seeking socially minded individuals looking to give back and volunteer some of their time to store operations.

With an increased volunteer contingent, store operating hours will be expanded accordingly. Donations are accepted by appointment only.

Please visit our website at contactsouthsimcoe.ca for more information.

HELPERS:

Realtors partner with charity, local businesses to open new thrift shop in Bradford

Bradford realtors Anastasia Orlando and Rose M. Sorbera have partnered with CONTACT Community Services to help launch the organization's second location of The Clothes Line thrift shop

Local dignitaries and members of the community came together on Wednesday morning to celebrate the grand opening of The Clothes Line thrift store in Bradford West Gwillimbury.

This is The Clothes Lines' second location, with the original shop located in Alliston, run by registered charity-contact-community-services CONTACT Community Services.

"Welcome to the grand opening of The Clothes Line in Bradford!" said an excited Emily McIntosh, executive director with CONTACT Community Services.

"This project truly reflects the light, the light of community, the power of community, the bringing together of people with a like-minded vision, and motivation and we are so grateful to all of you for being here today and for all of our donors for contributing."

The idea to expand the shop into Bradford came from local realtors, Anastasia Orlando and Rose M. Sorbera, who have both utilized CONTACT's services in the past.

"They are the kickstarters for making this a reality," said McIntosh.

The store will work with local residents to help redirect unwanted clothing and small household items from the landfill by reselling them at affordable prices for people of all economic backgrounds. The shop will also offer free clothing to those in need.

CONTACT COMMUNITY SERVICES

has been in operation in South Simcoe for 40 years, providing employment and housing services in addition to free clothing for those in need out of The Clothes Line shop.

The store is run 90 per cent by community volunteers with profits going to support CONTACT Community Services.

For the month of December, the Bradford Clothes Line location will only be open on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with plans to expand operating hours as the store adds more volunteers.

Clothing donations are also welcome on Mondays, and drop offs can be arranged by contacting the CONTACT Community Services office directly.

The Clothes Line is located at:

95 Holland St. W., Unit #2, adjacent to the CONTACT Employment Services office

(which provides free assistance and coaching to local job seekers to secure meaningful employment).

To learn more, visit their website here .

The opening of this new location would not have been possible without the support provided by a number of community donors, including local painter Guido Velasquez of Guido’s Superior Paints, Canadian Tire, Decorator’s Edge, Bradford Blinds Plus, Carolyn’s Colour Consulting, Douglas Law Firm, Mortgage Agent Debbie Viveiros, and local realtor Anastasia Orlando.

‘I FEEL EMOTIONAL ABOUT IT’:

CONTACT opens The Clothes Line thrift store in Bradford

The store is looking for volunteers

It’s a place of inclusivity, one that welcomes people from all walks of life.

CONTACT Community Services opened The Clothes Line in Bradford at 95 Holland St. W., Unit 2, which is a new location of its social enterprise.

Emily McIntosh, executive director of CONTACT, said the organization has wanted to open a store in Bradford for some time.

“We had an empty boardroom sitting there and then COVID-19 hit,” she said.

Local realtors Rose M. Sorbera and Anastasia Orlando took McIntosh’s idea for opening a thrift store and “ran with it,” McIntosh said.

“They went out and leveraged their own networks to secure donations from various community members,” McIntosh said.

The Clothes Line is a thrift store that will help support the community. The store will work with residents to redirect clothing and small household items from the landfill. The Clothes Line will then resell the items at affordable prices. The store also supports people in need of free clothing.

“Our mission is to be a leader in providing housing, employment and community support in South Simcoe,” McIntosh said. “I feel emotional about it. We launched at 12 p.m. and within the hour we had three families coming in that needed support.”

There is also The Clothes Line in Alliston, which CONTACT Community Services will use as a basis for how it runs the Bradford location. The store will be 90 per cent volunteer-operated.

All revenue from the store stays local and supports CONTACT’s programming and community services.

“We opened up The Clothes Line store in Alliston … and it started off as a very small little store and it has just grown. What that has done for the organization is that actually helps support 25 per cent of our budget,” McIntosh said.

The store is also a place for any person in need to receive free items.

“We assist over 100 families with free winter gear every single year. We also assist people throughout the year. The nice thing about it is it’s a very discreet process where it goes through a referral through our partner agencies. People are able to come in and shop for what they need,” McIntosh said.

The model that is used at the store is that no one knows who is paying for their items and who is shopping for free items.

The store is looking for volunteers to help with store operations. With more volunteers, it will be able to expand store hours.

“We are forever grateful to our dedicated volunteers and community partners for making possible this additional support to the folks of Bradford,” said Valerie Ellis, CONTACT board chair.

The Clothes Line works with people from all walks of life.

“It really goes back to CONTACT’s core values and those being inclusivity. We have volunteers who are youth, students. We work with people who have exceptionalities, people with disabilities. We also work court-mandated volunteers,” McIntosh said. “It’s a safe place for all people.”

TO VOLUNTEER:

contact Jackie Kerr at 705-434-0790

or via email at jackie@contactsouthsimcoe.ca.

Donations are accepted by appointment only.

Visit www.contactsouthsimcoe.ca for more information.

CONTACT get $150K boost from province for COVID recovery
CONTACT has launched online component of thrift store and replaced out-of-date technical equipment

NEWS RELEASE

Contact Community Services

****************************************

ALLISTON – In 2021, CONTACT Community Services received a $150,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

With these funds, CONTACT has launched the online component of The Clothes Line thrift store, replaced out-of-date technical equipment, increased relevant IT support, and supported a comprehensive fundraising and communications plan in the pandemic environment. This grant has allowed CONTACT to navigate the barriers presented by COVID-19 and continue providing services safely to South Simcoe.

“The pandemic has sparked innovation across every sector,” said Simcoe-Grey MPP Jim Wilson. “CONTACT Community Services is a leader in demonstrating how adapting to meet the evolving needs of its clients benefits the South Simcoe community and its economy.”

The online Clothes Line store has provided a successful alternative to in-person shopping, allowing the store to operate during lockdown and accommodate shoppers who prefer to shop virtually. The online store first opened in 2020, and with support from OTF, sales to date now include over 451 orders, yielding $9,221 in sales. This revenue goes directly back into supporting CONTACT’s charitable programs.

As well, upgraded equipment and added IT support has enabled a seamless transition to virtual operations. Housing and employment staff are using the new technology to provide immediate service to residents seeking support. CONTACT is also working with BNP Goldie to examine the current fundraising environment and create a plan to bolster the organization’s philanthropic opportunities and amplify its impact on local community health.

“CONTACT Community Services is extremely grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for helping us ensure we can deliver our critical services throughout the changing pandemic environment,” says Executive Director, Emily McIntosh. “The residents of South Simcoe rely on our services in their greatest time of need, and now, more than ever we need to work as a collective to deliver on our mission to be a leader in the region in employment, housing and community supports.”

About CONTACT:

CONTACT Community Services is a registered charity with a 40-year history of taking a proactive approach to addressing changing social needs. As a community-based agency with multiple locations in rural communities, our programs meet the needs of over 3,000 families, adults, seniors, and youth from all cultural, social, and economic backgrounds every year.

We provide support to some of South Simcoe’s most vulnerable residents by helping them access the vital services including housing supports, employment services, community engagement programs, and access to affordable gently used clothing and household items at ‘The Clothes Line’ thrift store in Alliston and Bradford West Gwillimbury.

Anastasia Orlando, LHC, RENE

Sales Representative

Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd

49 Holland St W, Bradford ON L3Z 2B6

soldbyanastasia@gmail.com

647-869-7014

905-775-5677

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