Sweet Charity by Rowan Beck,
December 15, 2011, page 22.....

This holiday season why not give a gift that keeps on giving… create a domino effect, so to speak. There is a curious little shop on Main Street in Vergennes where customers can do this, called Sweet Charity. The proceeds of this nonprofit store are split between two other nonprofits, Hospice Volunteer Services of Addison County, located in Middlebury, and Women of Wisdom (WOW).
WOW is an organization that supports women, children, families in need and the organizations that help them. It was created by 14 women who pooled their resources to help improve the towns where they live. They chose to work with Hospice for name recognition. They knew that families touched by Hospice often wanted a way to donate furniture when settling the estate of their deceased relative, answering questions like, “What are we going to do with Aunt Lydia’s rocker?” The plan was for Sweet Charity to collect the items and then sell them for a profit. The proceeds would be divided equally among WOW and Hospice. What the founders hadn’t expected were donations coming from everywhere – Vergennes, surrounding towns and out of state.
Within the store you can find anything from a simple stuffed animal to furniture. They’ve sold 144 couches since opening in 2007. Everything in the store has been donated. Many Charlotte residents have donated toys, books, kitchen supplies and a multitude of other items. “Stuff is coming in hand over fist!” exclaimed store manager Patty Paul, who is a longtime summer resident at Thompson’s Point. She added, “The garage we use for storage is full all the way back. We’re starting to store stuff in friends’ basements.” The hottest items are end tables; they just can’t keep them in the store.
Sweet Charity has been overwhelmed by the community support, and the stories of the families they have helped are endless. Just recently, a man who had fallen on hard times sent the group a thank you letter for contributing toward his commercial driver’s license. “He had lost his job and had little kids; he could only afford to pay for part of the test. WOW paid the other.” He was extremely appreciative. He concluded his letter saying, “Thank you for helping me be able to be self-sufficient and support my family.” There are many more stories like this. WOW has repaired a car to help a woman get to work, helped with rent and a down payment on a house.
So this Christmas, while out shopping, take a peek. You never know what you may find. The store has become quite a treasure trove. Or think about making a donation of something for them to sell, or help them with their cause. Currently Sweet Charity is looking for a new camera, a truck for deliveries, more storage and a computer that may be old to you but new to them. For more information, look for them on Facebook or at sweetcharityvt.com. “It’s just a feel-good place. I love working here,” Patty said with a smile. She’s not alone; most of the volunteers have been there since day one.