Our fitting rooms here at Lifelong Thrift are a high traffic area - so much so that a fresh coat of paint was on our minds when we started thinking, “What cool projects can we do with our volunteers and staff here at the store?

On a normal day at Lifelong Thrift, you can find volunteers helping customers, merchandising new product, or sorting donations. When the doors close and the music turns up a little louder is when the rollers go on and paint buckets start pouring. So much fun was had!

Volunteers from across the organization like the kitchen and grocery pickup joined us to tackle this project. Two volunteers to each of the five fitting rooms, we managed to put a fresh white coat on the walls to lay the foundation for part two. We have a feeling we'll be seeing red. To be continued…

To get involved with Lifelong Thrift, visit our Volunteer page to learn more and apply! Interested in the other work Lifelong does in our community? Visit lifelong.org.

1. Lifelong Thrift began as the Chicken Soup Brigade Thrift Store as a means of funding Lifelong’s mission. Since, the thrift store has had multiple locations including Pike Place Market, University District, and Rainier Valley. While new locations popped up over the years, we always had a presence on Capitol Hill. Our current location opened in 2015 on E Broadway after 13 years at the old Union Street store. For now, it is Lifelong’s only Thrift Store.

2. Within the first year of being open in the new location, we gave 5,932 items, about $18,500 in products, directly to clients in our store through our Voucher Program – and it wasn’t even a full calendar year. Your contributions really do benefit our community and those affected by chronic conditions.

3. Every week, our sale tags rotate through discounts ranging from 25% off to items priced at just 50 cents. Be on the lookout for color tags that match the signs on the wall – you’ll find some really great deals.

4. Lifelong Thrift’s clothing is organized by function rather than gender. There is not a men’s section or women’s section, rather, pants, shirts, athletic wear, and more.

5. Volunteers consist of 75% of Lifelong Thrift’s workforce. They’re service learners, community service volunteers, and Seattle locals wanting to make a difference. Volunteers sort donations, tend to the dressing rooms, help us clean and organize, and more. We even have volunteers that bring their diverse backgrounds to help us with construction, tech, gardening behind the store, and more. Find out how you can contribute to the cause here!

6. Lifelong Thrift has gift cards! Give the gift of thrift to your fashion conscious, budget bound friends, or a new neighbor. They’ll find some great items at our store and the sales all contribute to Lifelong’s mission.