08.06.2014

Volunteers Prep the Wearhouse for Back-to-School Success

By Kari Hansen, Treehouse Volunteer

I first heard about Treehouse sixteen years ago when the company I work for, Stifel RMG Group, hosted their first “back-to-school” donation drive raising funds for the Treehouse Wearhouse to purchase clothes and school supplies for foster kids going back to school.

Shopping ‘Til They Drop

Each year, we do a week-long drive to collect money and strive for 100% participation from our fellow employees. At the end of the week long drive, our drive leaders put on a breakfast to thank everyone for their donation and then we get to go shop for items to fill the Wearhouse with the money we raised for the kids. It’s been pretty amazing to see a group come together and put in various dollar amounts and then see what pooling the money together can accomplish!

After the shopping trip last year I decided I wanted some hands on experience at the Wearhouse. I had toured the facility before, but was curious to see how it all came together. It’s fascinating to me to see the flow of operations from the donations that come in and sorting them then tagging them for the Wearhouse store and back stock…it’s quite the operation. And the Wearhouse really has the look and feel of a retail store.

A Lasting Commitment

Now, I volunteer every Wednesday at the Treehouse Wearhouse. Right now, we are gearing up for the busy back-to-school shopping season, and hundreds of families will be looking for backpacks, school supplies, and the perfect first day outfit. Being a part of making that transition a little easier for a child is one of the reasons I like to volunteer at the Wearhouse. I remember after summer break and going back to school shopping with my mom and feeling just a bit happier having that new outfit to put on. If putting in a few hours a week volunteering my time to give someone else that happy, feeling it’s definitely worth it!

Subscribe to Our Blog