Shopping for a purpose: Lodi nonprofit that helps homeless women and children is expanding
LODI — A Lodi nonprofit that helps homeless women and children is about to expand thanks in part to the help of a thrift boutique.
The community has been sold on Lodi House thrift boutique for more than a decade. The nonprofit which operates the store was founded in 1999 to help homeless women and children.
"They can be safe. They can be fed. They learn how to build their own savings account, checking accounts. They get counseling. They get clothing from the store. Anything," Lodi House store director Ed Beeker said.
Beeker said it was originally located on Washington Street, but over the years, it expanded and moved to Lodi Avenue.
The new location has more than doubled sales through eBay and even added an estate sales division. You can find collectibles, furniture and everything in between.
"All the proceeds go to the house for all the things they need, for the training they have to go through, the counseling, the upkeep of the house," said Lodi House sales supervisor Camilla Spencer.
The boutique also provides on-the-job training for women in the program.
"They learn retail experience here, working experience here," Beeker said. "They are actually working for us as. They are living in a transitional apartment and building up their savings."
They currently serve 21 families and counting.
Lodi House is adding a traditional housing unit with four apartments and is about to close on another transitional housing unit. It's a sign of hope for women and children struggling with homelessness this holiday season and beyond.
Lodi House is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.