A few years ago, Cherry Hill resident Suzanne Levy-Polikoff was inspired in a way she never would have imagined.
Levy-Polikoff participated in a beautification event in a South Camden neighborhood. She met and became acquainted with many of the families living there and saw how many of them struggled to afford things she took for granted.
“It’s nine miles away, but it’s a world away,” Levy-Polikoff said. “That really inspired me to want to do more.”
Levy-Polikoff’s spirit of volunteerism helped give her the idea to provide donated clothing at a discounted price. She worked with Jewish Family and Children’s Services to open a Thrift Boutique in Philadelphia in October 2013. In October 2014, she brought the idea to the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, starting a Mobile ReSale Boutique in conjunction with the Jewish Federation of South Jersey.
The Mobile ReSale Boutique is modeled after the Thrift Boutique Levy-Polikoff helped open in Philadelphia. To get enough merchandise for the boutique, Levy-Polikoff and JFCS of Philadelphia gathered donated clothes of all types and brands. They also procured a storefront in Northeast Philadelphia.
“I spent a year getting it all situated,” Levy-Polikoff said.
Once it opened, donations began pouring in, helping the boutique remain sustainable. Thrift Boutique has been successful and continues to operate today.
With the Thrift Boutique having so much success, Levy-Polikoff pitched the idea to the Jewish Federation of South Jersey for a similar boutique. The federation decided to work with Levy-Polikoff to launch a boutique with a twist. Instead of having residents come to a store, the store would be brought to residents across South Jersey. The Mobile ReSale Boutique was born.
Since October, Levy-Polikoff has been traveling to senior homes, retirement communities, community centers and businesses, bringing a variety of clothing items, jewelry, accessories and other merchandise. Like the Thrift Boutique, all the items are donated from community members and sold at a low price. All the Mobile ReSale Boutique’s proceeds go toward the Jewish Federation of South Jersey’s programming.
To get the boutique off the ground, Levy-Polikoff has been networking as much as possible through both social media and in person. As a result, she has been able to set up shop at a number of places in Cherry Hill, Voorhees and surrounding communities.
“(The program’s) getting very tapped into the Jewish Federation community,” Levy-Polikoff said. “So far, it’s been well received.”
The boutique is typically a closed sale, open to only the residents or employees at the location Levy-Polikoff is visiting. In many of these cases, she is selling items to people who struggle to afford nicer clothes. Giving back to those in need has really driven Levy-Polikoff to continue adding new stops on her calendar.
With Levy-Polikoff making trips on a regular basis, a sizable inventory of donations is needed. However, receiving donations has not been a problem. Levy-Polikoff has filled rooms of her house and garage with donations. The Federation Annex has also been used to help house some of the items.
Levy-Polikoff said the boutique would not be successful without the generosity of the community.
“It’s amazing how much of an abundance of donations you can get,” she said.
The Mobile ReSale Boutique is also having some sales open to the public. The boutique set up shop on Feb. 8 for a winter blowout sale at the Federation Annex Building on Springdale Road. Future sales will likely be held at the annex and the Katz JCC.
Levy-Polikoff’s volunteer efforts have not gone unnoticed. She was honored at the JFCS of Philadelphia’s annual benefit last November and was one of the recipients of the MLK Freedom Medal from the Camden County Freeholders in January. Receiving the medal was something Levy-Polikoff was very proud of.
“It was a huge, huge honor for me,” she said.
The Mobile ReSale Boutique is gaining steam, with new organizations being added to the calendar and more community members wanting to get involved each day. For more information on the boutique or to volunteer, contact Levy-Polikoff at spolikoff@jfedsnj.org. Visit the boutique’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/JFEDMobileReSaleBoutique, for more information on upcoming events and how to get involved.
