Celebrating National Op Shop Week

Published

October 1, 2018

Each day hundreds of volunteers keep our op shops running to raise vital funds for Uniting services and offer affordable goods to local communities.

This National Op Shop Week, we extend a heartfelt thank you to them for all that they do.

We would also like to acknowledge everyone who supports our op shops by donating and buying goods.

Thank you to each and every one of you.

In the past year, Uniting op shops have raised over $500,000 to support our services around Victoria and Tasmania.

We operate 23 op shops across Victoria and 1 in Tasmania. Close to 600 people volunteer their time to help out in those op shops each year.

The volunteers

For Kathy, volunteering is a way of making the most of her retail skills, while giving back to her community.

Kathy started volunteering at the Yarraville op shop nearly 3 years ago. She says the shop is a treasure trove for bargain hunters.

“People are very generous and donate some unbelievable items to our shop,” she said.

“It’s a great feeling to know that the money we raise in the shop is going to a good cause, and the items we sell often help people who are doing things tough.”

The shoppers

Op shops are often a source of affordable clothing and household goods for people facing financial difficulties.

Sally recently visited our shop in Prahran to buy suitable clothing for a court appearance.

She explained to our volunteer that she had recently been injured in a domestic violence incident, and was staying in temporary accommodation for the duration of her court case.

Our volunteer took into account Sally’s injuries, which made wearing some clothes difficult, while she suggested items for Sally to wear. Together, they found an entire outfit for her court appearance, giving her a much-needed boost of confidence.

Sally was extremely grateful for the help she received, and for the kindness extended to her by our volunteers.

We need more volunteers to keep our op shops open, and to assist people like Sally. If this sounds like something you would like to do, you can find out more here.

Related News