Tales from the Kids Resale Event

Twice a year, the Oak Park community comes together to fill a local church auditorium with donations of children’s toys, clothes, games, furniture, and more. Faced with the wall-to-wall mountain of generosity are the amazing women who manage the tremendous number of donations, transforming the space into a welcoming environment for shoppers to browse affordably.

“I love seeing their excitement and passion for getting what looks like an impossible feat into working order!” Says Jenny Mack, one of the managers responsible for organizing volunteers for the event; “…there’s something special about the collective effort and excitement.” Even when it feels insurmountable, “we have this amazing team of managers and volunteers who come together and we always pull it off!” According to Elizabeth Koppula, fellow co-chair.

There’s also a great deal of satisfaction in connecting clothes with new owners instead of contributing to the 92 million tons of textile waste produced globally every year.  “I love seeing thousands of pieces of clothing that could end up in a landfill or would have been new purchases for our shoppers be reused, creating a sustainable cycle for those clothes” according to Jenny.  She and Elizabeth both started out as shoppers for their kids, and have both transitioned their kids’ wardrobes into almost entirely used clothing from the sale.

Michelle Galindo has been a volunteer for 15 years, some before the sale was even under Hephzibah’s name! “What started as a simple sale of gently used clothing has become a major resource for families in our community, and it’s an experience I look forward to every year, twice a year.” According to Michelle, “I have met some great friends through volunteering and our management team is an exceptional bunch of talented women.”

Proceeds from the sale go to a variety of Hephzibah programs depending on our needs each year, from subsidizing the day care program, pet therapy for the kids at Hephzibah Home, or reuniting separated siblings at summer camp. Jenny says, “my children attend Hephzibah’s after school program and we have been so happy with the care they receive!” Thanks to funds from the Kids Resale Event, “thoughtful after school programming is accessible to all incomes in our community, which makes me so happy!” Thanks to our managers, volunteers, and community members, the last resale event raised over $28,000 for the After School and Summer Camp programs, making it the biggest sale to date!

Don’t take our word for it; hear it straight from Michelle:

“What kept me coming back year after year is knowing that my role in this sale helps families in tangible ways… The Kids Resale Event isn’t just about shopping—it’s about coming together to support one another, and to ensure that every family, regardless of their circumstances, has access to the resources they need to thrive.”

Whether you’re volunteering or shopping, we hope you’ll come back to make a difference year after year! For all these reasons and more, we’re especially excited to honor the Kids Resale Event Managers with the Heart of the Home Award at the Heart of Gold Ball on March 7th. Come celebrate these amazing women alongside our other award winners at Rockwell on the River in Chicago, featuring drinks, dinner, dancing, auctions, and live music.

View Related Posts:

Thank You Honorary Committee Members!

What does the KIND Act Mean for Hephzibah?

Meet our 2025 Award Winners!

Ready for Life