For the last three years St. Anne’s has supported the annual Christmas Boutique presented by Iowa Homeless Youth Center Youth Participants and Friends.
The Christmas Boutique offers homeless and near homeless individuals the opportunity to give gifts to their children, family members, and friends. New, unwrapped gift items and gift wrapping materials are solicited from individuals and a broad variety of groups including churches, social organizations, and businesses.
The gift items are priced at one tenth of the original price in the store and sold between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on the first two Saturdays in December. Free gift wrapping is provided. Each person/family shopping can spend a maximum of $15.00. This allows them to purchase items with the value of $150.00 in the store and avoids having anyone save up to purchase a large number of items, thus limiting choices for others. Some people come with as little as a dollar to spend and can make several purchases. Folks go home talking about the bargains they got, not the charity they were given.
Anyone can participate in the Boutique by making donations, soliciting donations from others, or working at the sale. Workers at the sale work as sales assistants, child care workers, gift wrappers, cashiers, and greeters. Help is also needed for set up and clean up. A person wanting to participate should call St. Anne’s office or contact Mary Oliver at mmo492@q.com or 515-964-1227.
This year’s Christmas Boutique is scheduled for Saturday, December 3 and Saturday, December 10 at the Salvation Army, 1326 6th Avenue, Des Moines.
