By Jill Sperling

Mustard Seed clients browse hundreds of donated clothing items at pop up shop

Nov 1, 2018 | 4:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — Hundreds of warm clothing items lined the chapel at the Mustard Seed New Life Community for its first ever Winter Clothing Pop Up Shop. 

“The pop up shop is a concept we created at some of our other Mustard Seed locations,” said the Mustard Seed’s Volunteer Manager Drew Gusztak. “It’s a way that we could quickly and easily give urgent needed items to our clients.”

The outreach centre put a call out to the public for new and gently used clothing items last week. The response was far greater than expected. 

“We received more than we thought we would, and more than we need,” Gusztak said. “So, we’re sitting at well over 200 coats right now, hundreds of pairs of jeans and sweatshirts on the tables and in boxes, a large amount of shoes, tons of toques, like 400 toques, it’s crazy, and the long underwear and the socks are what we should be able to give out today. 

The idea was if we did receive more we’d have more for the following month and then the following season as well.” 

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As the winter season approaches we can expect more cold and damp weather conditions in Kamloops, which will make dry clothing hard to come by for those living out in the elements.

“It feels like the threads are rotting off your body, it can be really rough. And, for the opportunity to get some new clothes it’s great,” said Moses Richter, a client of the Mustard Seed New Life Community.

Richter is currently staying in a shelter where he arrived with only a backpack full of personal belongings. 

“I grabbed some socks, underwear, an extra pair of pants so I have a clean pair to go and look for some work and stuff,” he said after browsing the pop up shop. 

Those few items, along with some care and support from the outreach centre, have meant a world of difference for Richter, who is simply trying to get back on his feet. 

“I got on the streets because of a mental illness and that’s what a lot of these people deal with,” Richter said. “But, I’ve had help to overcome all of the issues along the way and found some support, found the right support around here, and it’s gotten a lot better.”

Around 100 individuals were expected to pass through the pop up shop before the day’s end.