On Saturday, June 1st we hosted our first Care Shop since 2019 at Covenant House New York. The energy was high and the feeling of giving back was exhilarating, our shop was open and thriving again; but the road to get here was far from easy.
The Pandemic’s Impact
The pandemic meant a lot of things for a lot of people. Some lost their lives or that of their families and friends. Parents became teachers overnight while students and actual teachers transitioned to virtual education. America was finally forced to reckon with its past and present when it comes to race relations, especially as it pertains to Black lives. Still, there were some who appreciated the pause on fast-paced living, taking time to find reprieve in solitude. As for The Pop-Up Care Shop, we wanted to take action and set up shop once again, but were rejected by dozens of shelters who were taking extra precaution to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 virus to their clients.
While we understood and prioritized the safety of all individuals, remaining stagnant during this time was not an option for us. We knew the cultural zeitgeist this moment presented and wanted to be a part of the change, not complicit in the status quo. In 2020, we hosted a mask and toiletry drive, collecting over 10,000 masks and toiletries for CAMBA. In 2021 we hosted Operation Care Package, which allowed us to safely bring our supporters together for an evening of creating care packages for those in need. Over 150 Care Packages were delivered to New Destiny Housing in the Bronx. In 2022 after a slew of rejections from shelters who were just not ready for the services of The Pop-Up Care Shop, we focused our efforts on becoming an official 501c3 nonprofit organization, which we knew could open up more opportunities for us to drive deeper, long-term impact within our communities.
While the pandemic was extremely challenging for everyone globally, it taught us resilience and perseverance. When facing rejection, it would’ve been easy to just give up, but we decided to continue pushing through, utilizing our own sphere of influence to drive impact in a safe and cautious way.
Our First-Ever Summer Care Shop
In 2023, we decided we were ready to open up shop again and the first thing we noticed was how much change had occurred within the shelter system and in the world since 2019. This made finding partners to work with more challenging but we remained optimistic and eventually made a connection with the most amazing shelter for youth called Covenant House New York. Covenant House New York offers safe housing and holistic care to young people ages 16–21 experiencing homelessness and survivors of human trafficking.
While our initial plan was to host a holiday Care Shop in 2023, we pivoted to our first even Summer Care Shop on June 1, 2024. This Care Shop would be one of many firsts:
- It was our first time hosting a Care Shop since 2019 due to the pandemic
- It was our first time hosting a Care Shop for the summer season
- It was our first all-gendered Care Shop
- It was our first time hosting a Care Shop for the youth
Leading up to the Care Shop we found the most amazing partners including Female Fight Club, who hosted a clothing drive for us, and Black Girl Sunscreen, who donated sunscreen products for our event.
June 1st was a day that will live with us forever. The day was filled with palpable joy from the volunteers and the youth. The youth received a shopping bag upon entry and were able to shop as much as they could fit in their bags, including brand new sneakers and shoes. Think of it like their own shopping spree. Another awesome highlight this year includes our partnership with Soles4Souls, 4EveryKid program. They supplied us with an abundance of brand new socks and sneakers.
For us, as founders, it made our hearts swell with pride because after five years of many ups and downs we did it and to be honest the wait was well worth it. We learned so much, we became stronger, more organized and efficient and was able to execute a seamless experience for our partners, youth clients, and volunteers.
We share all of this with you because you’re family. You’ve been supporting us since day one and are a central part of our journey. From your donations, to your volunteering, to the times you engage with our social media posts and newsletters, we appreciate it all and we couldn’t have gotten this far without you.
Thank you!
Join our volunteer team
We are always looking to grow our volunteer network. Whether you’d like to sign up for an upcoming event or be a part of our core team (helping with planning Care Shops, fundraising, etc.), we welcome you! Email us at thepopupcareshop@gmail.com for inquiries.
Donate
Funding makes all of this work possible and every contribution makes a difference. The Pop-Up Care Shop is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. Donate to our organization here.
Follow us
Show us some love and spread the word! Follow us on Instagram @ThePopUpCareShop and subscribe to our website http://www.thepopupcareshop.org.
The Pop-Up Care Shop 