MONROE — Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, Inc., will open a new thrift store in Monroe called Thrift and Thrive. Located at 1020 17th Avenue in downtown Monroe, all proceeds from sales will benefit the Sexual Assault Recovery Program (SARP), which serves survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking in Rock and Green counties.
The store’s grand opening is set for 4-7 p.m. on April 19, with a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. All are invited to attend the free event, which will include refreshments.
The Thrift and Thrive store’s regular hours will be Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Because the store will be staffed by volunteers, hours may vary occasionally. Family Services is seeking volunteers to help in the store. Anyone interested may contact Jenifer Wichita at jwichita@sarpwi.com for more information, or stop at the store.
All items for sale in the store will be donated and in good condition. These include books, adult and children’s clothes, jewelry and other accessories, shoes, purses, and household items. Donations are appreciated; donations of in-season items in good condition may be made directly at the store anytime during open hours. Donated items must be able to be easily transported by one person.
Family Services previously operated a thrift store in Monroe in partnership with a local business owner, from Nov. 2019 until Nov. 2022.
“We are excited to move forward as independent owners of this business, both to provide a store that offers affordable, sustainable products, and to generate additional funds to benefit SARP,” said Kelsey Hood Christensen, Director of Survivor Empowerment Services.
In addition to SARP, Family Services includes the following programs: DEFY Domestic Abuse; Individual & Family Counseling Program; Praxis Employee Assistance Program; Youth2Youth 4 Change; and The Neighborhood Resilience Project. For more information about Family Services, visit www.familyservices1.org.
Family Services is a funded partner of United Way Blackhawk Region and United Way of Green County.