Buying a second-hand outfit or pair of shoes can help fund meals, shelter and recovery for folks who are struggling.
Found Boutique opened at 641 Columbia St. in August, 2020, with the purpose of raising money to support the UGM’s meal, shelter and recovery programs. It started out as a boutique featuring a collection of home décor, gifts, jewelry, accessories, skin care and brand-name fashions for men and women, but the newly revamped store is now a thrift boutique.
“It’s more to align with the values that UGM has, since it's completely owned by UGM and 100 per cent of the net proceeds go toward the effort that we make toward helping people overcome poverty, homelessness and addiction,” said Sarah Chew, a media relations specialist with UGM. “So it's a great way to kind of incorporate lower-barrier access to great goods.”
Now called Found Thrift Boutique, the shop carries an assortment of new and preloved clothing and footwear items that are donated to its thrift store on East Hastings in Vancouver – including items from clothing stores that are closing down and film productions. Some of those items immediately find their way to folks in needs, others are sold at the Vancouver store, and some will now be sent to the New West shop.
“We're curating the brand new, brand name, gently used items, and we're bringing them over here,” Chew said.
By focusing on donated items rather purchasing items for the store, the UGM can keep prices be more affordable for shoppers at a time when costs are rising for many of life’s necessities.
“Transitioning to being a thrift boutique allows us to make shopping at the store accessible and fun for everyone, including those who might be low-income, or experiencing poverty, homelessness, or addiction,” Chew said.
As a social enterprise operated by the Union Gospel Mission, Found Thrift Boutique raises money to support the UGM’s meal, shelter and recovery programs.
The UGM invites community members to stop by Found Thrift Boutique, where they can give back to the community while they’re shopping for themselves or others. In addition to its curated section of clothing, Found still carries a selction of items created by artisans, including jewelry, accessories, skincare products, candles and home décor items.
“We have things from 20 over artisans on this area – so that's local, often handmade,” Chew said. “A lot of them are women-owned, indigenous owned businesses.”
Artisans appreciate Found
Nancy Wingham and her husband, who is Metis, own Nuez Acres, an Indigenous-owned, Langley-based company that creates haircare, skincare and body products made with pecan oil. She said all the pecans are grown and her dad's farm in Mexico, and the raw nuts are sent to Langley where they are pressed.
Because environmental sustainability has been a focal point of Nuez Acres, Wingham said it doesn’t use any water in its products and it advocates for the conservation of water. She said that’s due in part to drought conditions that have been occurring in summer months and the fact that more than 100 Indigenous communities in Canada don’t have access to water.
Wingham, who is among the artisans featured at Found, met the store’s previous buyer at a trade show more than two years ago.
“She told me about the mission of Found boutique, how it's a not-for-profit,” she said. “And because we're really big on giving back to the community, we really felt like we aligned. It was a great opportunity for the brand to give back to the community.”
Wingham noted 60 per cent of the sales of artisans’ products go to the artisans and 40 per cent go to the UGM.
“They're supporting local artisans and supporting local community,” she said of Found Thrift Boutique.
Wingham supports the UGM’s efforts to recycle and reduce clothing through Found Thrift Boutique.
“They're recycling, which is something that really aligns with our brand,” Wingham said. “And especially now with the economic downturn. It's really hard for people to even think about going shopping right now.”
