The Dasie Bridgewater Hope Center, The Arc of Indian River County, Childcare Resources of Indian River and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County each received a $10,000 grant from the newly formed Hope Foundation last Wednesday evening. Board President Warren Schwerin presented the checks at the freshly renovated Hope Resale Boutique.
After taking time for a few personal words with each of the representatives accepting the checks on behalf of their organizations, Schwerin also acknowledged the hard work of the Hope Resale Boutique’s staff and manager, who have transformed the former Dasie Hope Thrift Store into a stylish upscale boutique.
“Dasie Bridgewater Hope Center will continue to be our partner but we felt that we had to broaden the appeal of the store and the number of donors and the people it would appeal to,” said Schwerin. “We kept the Hope in the name and enlarged it to now having four partner agencies.”
The grants awarded to their new partners were funded by money earned through sales last year, and the hope is that with the shop’s brighter look and higher-end items the proceeds will be even greater this season.
“I have been in Vero for 40 years; it is my home,” said Schwerin. “It is a wonderfully generous community but the kids in this town need a leg up. They are underserved educationally and in many other ways, and I felt that it was our family’s mission to help people like that.”
Schwerin said that once it became apparent that they wanted to help more than just one organization, they opted to expand to include several diverse youth-oriented nonprofits.
“We are so grateful for this opportunity and that they thought to include Childcare Resources with this beautiful store for their wonderful mission to help children in Indian River County,” said Shannon Bowman, executive director of Childcare Resources.
After the grant presentation, guests were encouraged to shop and enjoy the tempting sweets and refreshments, and many did use the occasion to take advantage of some early holiday shopping.
“The items here are as good as any store you can go to,” said Boutique Manager Colleen Flaherty, looking very chic in an ensemble she had put together from the shop’s selections. “I came in this morning and had nothing to wear for tonight and one of my volunteers had just finished a mannequin display. I put on everything from the window.”
“This is just Dasie Hope expanding and increasing its scope,” said Dasie Hope’s founder Verna Wright with pride. “I feel like this is my child that is now going off to college.”
