Wedding Gowns Donated to Make Angel Gowns

Nearly New Resale Shop is a non-profit store that supports Noonan Elementary Academy, which is an independent Catholic school located in Mokena. Nearly New opened its doors in May of 2009 in the hopes of providing a fun place for the community to shop and a source of income for the private school, which is supported 100% by the parents and guardians of the children that attend the academy.

The resale shop is located at 9995 W. Lincoln Highway in Frankfort. "Our mission is to provide moral and financial support to Noonan Academy where tomorrow's leaders are being spiritually and morally formed in the Catholic faith," said Kim Townsend who has voluntarily managed the shop since it opened in 2009. It is also a mission that not only Townsend fully believes in, but so do the Noonan volunteers who assist in running the shop. "It truly takes many hearts and hands to make Nearly New the success that it is. Our volunteers' time and dedication go towards supporting the scholarship program at Noonan Academy."

Recently Nearly New Resale had the opportunity to pass along close to a dozen wedding gowns and formal gowns to an Illinois charity that repurposes the materials to make angel gowns for infants. The angel gowns are distributed to hospitals, funeral homes, and individual families all across the USA free of charge as a gift of love to help those grieving the loss of a baby.

"One of our ongoing efforts is to pair up with other non-profit organizations in the Lincoln-Way area," Townsend mentioned. "We would love to form a partnership with a local organization to assist them in helping those reliant upon them." In the past, Nearly New has donated items to local high schools for drama productions, clothing to South Suburban PADS, warm weather items to be assembled into backpacks to be distributed to the homeless in Chicago, and linens to PAWS. "We want to do more. We are being called to do more in this community."

Interested in discovering new-to-you treasures? Nearly New Resale is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and happily accepts donations during that time. The shop also accepts clothing items that cannot be sold but rather recycled. From clothing and linens that are damaged, shoes that cannot be worn anymore, to leather items that have lost their usefulness.

For more information about Nearly New Resale, you can check out their website at www.nearlynewresale.com or follow them on Facebook or Instagram @nnresale.