As a way of encouraging and acknowledging the accomplishments of the participants in our program at SBEC they can earn “Benny Bucks” for achieving their goals and meeting weekly requirements. They use these bucks to “purchase” items in our store, Treasures & Such. We are dependent on the generosity of people like you to help us keep the store stocked.
The majority of our participants are women and men from the United States in need of a more stable economic situation. Their situations vary. Some have lost their jobs because of down-sizing. Some are trying to return to the labor force after being out of it, for various reasons. Some are trying to create a new and more positive work pattern or history. We continue to have a few refugees in our program. They, too, are preparing for work.
The participants are trying to begin again, and they need support and encouragement. Treasures & Such is one way we try to offer this. Thank you for helping us provide some of the basic items they need to make their daily life a little easier. Thank you for adding a touch of beauty to their lives.
Are you moving or downsizing? Do you know someone who is moving or downsizing? Or maybe you are “spring cleaning” and wish to part with unwanted items.
You can help others in need with your donations of household items and personal care items to our “store” – Treasures & Such. Our Wish List identifies donations we especially welcome.
We cannot use the following items: Electronics, books, pillows, bedding, soiled or torn clothing, items not in good working condition, large appliances, large furniture, toy guns and other violent toys/games. Please understand that it is a hardship and expense for us to dispose of these unwelcomed items.
CLICK HERE to inquire about making a donation.
Dishes
Cups and mugs
Glasses
Pots and pans
Small appliances (toasters, coffeemakers, etc.)
Lamps
Children’s clothes and toys
Shampoo
Lotion
Deodorant
Toothpaste and toothbrushes
Diapers
Facial tissues
Consider sharing in our ministry at SBEC by becoming a volunteer in our store, Treasures & Such. We can surely use your help.
Responsibilities of the store volunteer
Hours are 9:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Monthly schedules are created around volunteer availability.
One, two, three, four times a month……Whatever a person can offer would be appreciated.
CLICK HERE for a Volunteer Interest Form
“Be happy for this moment. This moment is our life.” “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have.”
This reality is evident in all our lives. One recent expression of this is the death of Joan Vereb, volunteer at Saint Benedict Education Center, on July 9, 2022. Joan’s illness was quite brief. The news of her passing surprised and saddened those with whom she worked and the staff.
There is a trace of activity in Treasures & Such once again. Volunteers are returning. Shoppers are making purchases. Limited donations are being accepted.
Most often, donors offer Saint Benedict Education Center much more than the items they give. They invite their SBEC contact into new and different experiences by sharing their interests and activities. This is certainly true of the interactions between Eileen Melia, donor of beautiful fabric, and Cynthia Aulenbacher, seamstress and recipient of the donation for The Mending Place.
“St. Benedict Education Center Fall Open House!” included tours of Treasures & Such, the incentive store, and an opportunity to shop with earned “Benny Bucks”.
Most participants knew of the store. The opportunity to tour it – and gain another “raffle leaf” for the gift basket – gave them a chance to hear about and see changes and additions that have enhanced it.
What did they experience? What did they learn?
For many the make-over of the space that happened a couple years ago was new: Fresh paint and new carpet; new tables and colorfully painted shelves; new window treatments; and a more spacious arrangement of items. Admiring comments were offered by those who hadn’t been in the store for a while.
A regular shopping day with designated times was established several months ago. Treasures & Such is open for shoppers most Tuesdays each month, 11:30-1:00 p.m. A monthly schedule is provided to all staff members. It will also be posted in the participant break room and on the outside door to the store. This has offered stability to the store routine, enabling staff and participants to plan their shopping days.
The store now purchases a limited number of items which cannot be bought through SNAP (food stamps): Cleaning supplies; paper products; and personal care items. This supplements the large selection of donations which are always available, thanks to the generosity of our staff, volunteers, friends, and families.
Treasures & Such has shifted its focus on the types of items offered in the store. Due to the changing needs and interests of recent shoppers, adult clothing and miscellaneous odds-and-ends are no longer accepted for donations. The present focus is on items for infants and children; basic, small appliances; pots and pans; sets of dishes, glasses, and mugs/cups. New books for children are also popular.
Open just in time for the Open House was a small “Show Room” set up in the warehouse immediately behind the store. This provides a space for larger items for children to be displayed and sold. On this first day several things were purchased, including an infant swing, a large easel with both chalk and white boards, and a kitchen play area. This new addition will most likely continue to be very popular. It will remain open as long as donations of larger items for children continue to be made.
What has remained the same with Treasures & Such? The purpose: To offer some incentive to be an active participant at SBEC, meeting goals and expectations. This is the way to earn the Benny Bucks used in the store to purchase such attractive and needed items.
What is the same? The presence and care of volunteers who tend to the maintenance of the store and, more importantly, who attend to the needs of the shoppers.
One other thing perceptive participants would notice: The generosity of so many donors that is evident throughout the entire store. The variety and quality of the inventory is a clear indicator of this.
What’s going on in Treasures & Such? Plenty. The Fall Open House was an effective way to showcase it.
