10.24.2018
92-Year-Old Woman Volunteers with Daughter in Treehouse’s Free Store
Every Thursday, you can find Bonnie Grosby and her mother, JaneAnn Songer, hard at work in the back stock of The Wearhouse, Treehouse’s free store. Volunteers like 92-year-old JaneAnn are the life blood of a program that is a critical resource to more than 2,000 youth in foster care.
The store is a place that youth can come to receive clothing, toys, books and school supplies throughout the year. It is crucial for kids and teens to have clothing that makes them feel confident in who they are, especially when they may have had to leave their home with almost nothing.
“It’s important. Foster children are all of our children,” JaneAnn said.
Bonnie first heard about Treehouse when she worked at Ackerley Communications. The company conducted a community outreach event in which their entire workforce volunteered for the day. Bonnie ended up sorting through donations and had a great time seeing the adorable kids’ clothes that were brought in to Treehouse.
Years later, she and her mother were looking for a way to get out and have fun volunteering. They chose Treehouse’s free store because of that earlier experience.
Bonnie and JaneAnn will be celebrating two years volunteering in the store this December. Their favorite activity is working in the infant/toddler section, sorting and preparing clothing to go to the store. They are both incredibly hardworking and willing to do whatever needs to be done, from tearing off tags, labeling shoes to a multitude of other tasks.
“My biggest thing is there’s a concerted effort if you’re going to take your time to be here, they’re going to keep you busy,” Bonnie said. “It’s a couple of hours doing something that gets us out of our normal grind.”
Treehouse’s free store has a dedicated crew that volunteers on a regular basis. Some are here once a week, others once a month. These are the people who make Treehouse what it is.
There are so many different tasks that go into what we do here, and volunteering is for all ages. Thank you to our amazing volunteers for spending your time with Treehouse!
Want to learn more about how you can volunteer for Treehouse? Contact Megan Meyer at [email protected] or 206-267-5117.
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About the Author
Amy Shafer is the Holiday Magic Coordinator for Treehouse. She enjoys working closely with Treehouse volunteers and is passionate about serving our youth and making sure that they are able to have access to all the things that make up a typical childhood.