My name is Kristen Seehusen, and I run The Share Shop in Clear Lake, Iowa, along with my co-director, Cathy. Anyone is in our community is welcome to come to The Share Shop and receive free winter outerwear. They get to choose what they like, and they're not getting the lesser item or the leftovers.
I grew up in the 80s in the Midwest, and that was a financially struggling time. I got a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sister or my older cousins, especially winter coats, which lasted forever. When there was something especially that I loved, it felt really good to put it on…but if it was a coat I didn't particularly care for, that was a real negative. We want people to feel a sense of dignity and choice when they come here. We see the positive impact when people choose for themselves.
For me, the whole concept of service comes out of my faith in Jesus Christ. From my childhood, it really has been the core of who I am. God calls us to love our neighbors, to put ourself aside for the greater cause of his calling in our life.
This project of The Share Shop in particular has been one that allows us to love our neighbors. Jesus was about reaching out to anyone, even when the disciples around him would say, "Oh no, no, not now or not here." He was the one that said, "No, let them come." And that's who He is. And I think for myself, and for so many of our volunteers here, that's who we desire to be. We want to be the people who say, "Come, come, let us love you where you are. Not because of who we are or even that we've got it all together or we are providing everything...but just by our presence and your presence, we can become someone and something new together."
And so, in this particular setting, I think what's the most beautiful is all the hands that have given to this. Every item has been held and shared in a way that was with love. And whether they bought it new or it was given to them, it's now going to find new life and give life to someone else.
I grew up in the 80s in the Midwest, and that was a financially struggling time. I got a lot of hand-me-downs from my older sister or my older cousins, especially winter coats, which lasted forever. When there was something especially that I loved, it felt really good to put it on…but if it was a coat I didn't particularly care for, that was a real negative. We want people to feel a sense of dignity and choice when they come here. We see the positive impact when people choose for themselves.
For me, the whole concept of service comes out of my faith in Jesus Christ. From my childhood, it really has been the core of who I am. God calls us to love our neighbors, to put ourself aside for the greater cause of his calling in our life.
This project of The Share Shop in particular has been one that allows us to love our neighbors. Jesus was about reaching out to anyone, even when the disciples around him would say, "Oh no, no, not now or not here." He was the one that said, "No, let them come." And that's who He is. And I think for myself, and for so many of our volunteers here, that's who we desire to be. We want to be the people who say, "Come, come, let us love you where you are. Not because of who we are or even that we've got it all together or we are providing everything...but just by our presence and your presence, we can become someone and something new together."
And so, in this particular setting, I think what's the most beautiful is all the hands that have given to this. Every item has been held and shared in a way that was with love. And whether they bought it new or it was given to them, it's now going to find new life and give life to someone else.