I have been to the Let It Shine Again Thrift Boutique at least three or four times and have left happy with some great finds each time. It is not a large boutique but packed with excellent women’s clothes, gorgeous jewelry and accessories, and beautiful household merchandise. The last trip yielded me a Banana Republic skirt and a beautiful Ann Taylor Loft sweater — a classic and elegant outfit. I have done well on each trip to this fabulous boutique. All proceeds from the Let It Shine Again (L.I.S.A.) Thrift Boutique, go to The Pantry, a food pantry conveniently located downstairs from L.I.S.A. The Pantry serves Cortlandt residents on Fridays from 11 am until 3 pm and other local area residents right after.
I spoke to Kacey Morabito Grean, the founder of Let It Shine Again Thrift Boutique. With help from her sister, Maria Morabito, Kacey started a food pantry on January 1, 2019, because she heard some teachers were buying snacks for students who didn’t have them. Kacey and Maria organized a group of volunteers using the basement of Mt. Carmel Hall – in partnership with the Society of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Because the community was so generous- they began to shower their food shoppers with all kinds of good things: clothes – backpacks – and housewares!
Kacey often said, “If we only had a thrift store, we could really serve our shoppers”! The overworked volunteers would laugh and tell her to stop with “all her ideas.” One of her “ideas” was to create a nonprofit to fundraise for their work, supporting families and creating events like women’s weekends and vendor markets. Let It Shine Inc. was born in March of 2020.
And then – Covid hit. They went from serving 60 food shoppers weekly to 125 cars lined up the road. They quickly outgrew the basement of Mt. Carmel Hall. Town of Cortlandt Councilman Frank Farrell was instrumental in getting a generous lease of the original Town Hall building. It has two floors – so they wasted no time emptying their basements and attics to open the L.I.S.A. Thrift Boutique in February of 2021.
L.I.S.A. is open Wednesday through Saturday, and on a good week, it brings in enough to cover the food bill for The Pantry. The bar is very high at LISA. They only take the best of the best donations. They have no storage space and few volunteers, so they must find the easiest way to do things!
Kacey says, “We can sum up our mission in two words. “Ahh” and “Wow.” When shoppers come into our pantry, we want them to feel “ahh”: ease and abundance.” Kacey also wants food shoppers to walk upstairs into the L.I.S.A.; “We want them to feel wow!” Kacey said, “Beauty is the gift that elevates the spirit. Raising the vibration is what Let It Shine is all about.”
Let It Shine also offers free acupuncture treatment to Cortlandt area residents undergoing cancer treatment. This initiative is called “Gracie’s Way. This is just part of the many initiatives that Let It Shine provides. They have a Holiday Market on Sunday, December 3rd, from 11 am until 4 pm at Mt. Carmel Hall on 8th Street at Highland Ave in Verplanck, New York. They are helping so many others that I am happy to get the word out so they make more money to feed more families. Kacey is doing a fantastic job, but as more families need help, so does Let It Shine. Your shopping dollars are helping feed families!
L.I.S.A. “Let It Shine Again” Thrift Boutique
137 7th Street,
Verplanck, New York
Wednesdays 9 AM – 1 PM
Thursdays 9 AM – 1 PM
Fridays 11 A – 4 PM
Saturdays 9 AM – 1 PM
Donations by appointment. Email Info@LetItShineOnline.com
Please check out their website for specific information on donations.
http://www.LetItShineOnline.com
When you are in the area, you can also visit:
St. Patrick’s Thrift Shop
240 11th St. Verplanck
Monday & Wednesday & Saturday, 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Carriage House Thrift Shop
Church of Divine Love
80 Sunset Road Montrose
Thursday & Saturday 10 am – 2 pm September-June
10 am – 1 pm July and August.
The Mustard Seed
Reformed Church of Cortlandtown
Saturday 10-2, Sunday 11-2
2124 Albany Post Rd.
Montrose (914) 737-6482
Until next time, Happy Thrifting!
ToniOnThrifting 