The Berrien Springs, Michigan, Adventist Community Services Center is taking on a new look. In an attempt to expand their services to help more people, it has changed its name to Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) and enlarged its client base. For 33 years, students, families, and individuals in financial difficulty have received clothing, food, furniture, and other needed items at no charge—and they still can. The difference is the delivery system.

The center has taken all the donations it receives, clothing and otherwise, and opened the center to the perusal of all who enter. Formerly, clients waited for a volunteer to choose their clothing for them and bring it out to the waiting area. One volunteer stated, “The biggest thrill is to see our former clients leaping down the aisles after they learn that we no longer pick out their clothes for them, but they may choose their own clothing from the racks just like at Wal-Mart.”

This change has made another type of ministry possible—thrift ministry. In addition to improving client care, they are able to serve the general public by allowing them to shop in the store. Many families with limited income just slip through the cracks of government aid and need help through their tough times. These are individuals who have limited income but do not qualify for assistance. They are able to stretch their dollars by purchasing needed items from the thrift store at a fraction of the cost of department stores.

Thrift ministry is just that: a ministry. They plan to fund many projects to help the poor in their county with money they receive through the thrift store, making it possible to help many more clients and customers than ever before. The store allows those who can afford to pay to do so, thus helping to raise funds to help other ministries get started. The thrift store opened its doors officially in June of 2003. With the increase in volunteer help, they are now able to stay open three days a week instead of one.

N2N provides many services. Emergency assistance provides food, clothing, and necessary items for those who qualify and for victims of fire loss at no cost to them. A food pantry is stocked. A safe-sleep program is offered for parents of infants. A dinner-plans service shares menus, recipes, and teaches basic cooking skills. A rape-aggression defense program for women is also offered. All these services offered by N2N are free. All these initiatives cost money, and the thrift store will help maintain existing ministries and start new ones.

Improving and maintaining the self-worth and dignity of the client has always been the motivating factor behind their change of venue. Clients are now able to shop along with customers by the use of gift certificates. N2N also helps clients move from a receiving-only mode to a helping mode by giving them an opportunity to help at the center.

Diana Bruch is the Michigan Conference Adventist Community Services director.