Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont internship, for Shelburne News
SHELBURNE — Thinking about getting a dress for spring? Shoppers at SCHIP Upscale Resale might find one among the nearly 400 dresses now filling the store’s racks. The bright mustard-yellow shop is located at 5404 Shelburne Road, where merchandise is carefully curated with seasonal displays and a boutique touch. And beyond that, each item sold is part of a larger effort to turn sales into community impact.
The Shelburne, Charlotte, Hinesburg Interfaith Projects, known as SCHIP and formerly known as SCHIP’s Treasure Resale, was established in 2003 and has grown from a small, church-based nonprofit into an organization that has awarded more than $1.2 million in grants to address local needs. Founded by women from several different church communities, SCHIP was built on a simple but clear mission—donate all profits back to the community. That mission continues today.
“It’s truly not for profit but many layers of good,” said Jessica Meller, current board chair of SCHIP.
The organization’s growth has been fueled in part by recent renovations that expanded the store’s retail space and improved the shopping experience. The changes helped boost sales which, in turn, increased the amount of money SCHIP can give away. These funds support a wide range of local needs. Grants have gone to emergency rescue squads, food banks and community organizations, including funding for advanced training and equipment.
“We’re just continuing the legacy and growing it,” Meller said.
The store’s impact extends beyond financial contributions. By reselling donated goods, SCHIP reduces waste and helps local customers find affordable clothing and housewares. Items donated to the store are transported to a warehouse and sorted by volunteers who clean, repair and price each piece ensuring nothing goes to waste. Items that cannot be sold are passed along to other organizations.
“We’re keeping all this clothing out of landfills…It’s just staying right here in the community,” Meller said.
At SCHIP, volunteers play a central role in nearly every aspect, from processing donations to running logistics. “It is incredible how much work people are volunteering to run this place,” said Linda Wise, the business manager for SCHIP.
For Susan Wholey, who worked as a nurse for more than 30 years, volunteering at SCHIP provides a meaningful way to stay active after retirement.
“I had shopped here lots of times for many years. And I thought, this is a good organization that gives all their money away,” Wholey said. “And lovely people. You get to meet people who are bringing these things and giving them away.”
Wholey recalled a memory that highlighted the organization’s impact. A customer once told her that SCHIP funding helped her daughter and granddaughter avoid homelessness.
“She said, ‘I just want to thank you because you people helped my daughter and her 12-year-old daughter stay off the street,’” Wholey said.
Volunteers carefully design each display demonstrating their own fashion flair. At the front of the store on a recent day, a flowy key-lime green gown cinched at the waist with jeweled, belt-like detail and paired with a statement necklace caught the eye. Nearby, a mannequin was styled in a soft, white sweater paired with a colorful, patterned skirt accented by a bold orange handbag that added the perfect pop of color.
“I call it my grown-up Barbie dream house,” said Meller about the store.
For customers, the sense of care and creativity doesn’t go unnoticed.
“You guys do a nice job curating,” said shopper Mary Weinstein, who traveled from Rutland to the store.
She likes knowing that her purchase from SCHIP goes to a good cause.
“If I’m going to spend 20 bucks, this is a nice place to spend 20 bucks versus Target,” Weinstein said.
Many donations to SCHIP carry meaning for those who give them.
“The donations are very personal to them. And we want to honor that and really treat what they donate with respect,” Meller said. “Sometimes, they’ve lost a loved one…It’s all very personal here.”
In addition to its regular grant cycles, SCHIP responds to immediate needs in the community. In a recent effort, SCHIP helped provide grocery assistance for TSA agents during the partial government shutdown.
“That wasn’t a grant…it was an emergency need in the community that we identified and were able to fulfill,” Wise said.
She calls SCHIP her passion project in the making and hopes to expand SCHIP into a multi-generational organization by recruiting more young adults to volunteer and get involved.
“I think that we’re on a good track to doing that, and I would really like to spread the word…I feel like the younger generations wouldn’t think that they could be involved in an organization like this,” Wise said. “I think this is a great learning opportunity for young adults.”
As SCHIP continues to grow, the focus is to remain on staying true to its founding mission while expanding its reach. And inside the store, new items are added almost daily to replace what has been sold, keeping the racks full and the cycle of giving in motion.
The volunteers “love it when somebody finds the treasure,” Meller said.