The St. Augustine Youth Group is going where no youth group has gone before: retail. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society (SSVP) has operated a retail store in Hamilton downtown for decades, but has always been limited by volunteer availability when it came to opening on Saturdays to shoppers. The youth volunteers will make it possible for the store to open the first Saturdays of the month.
While many of those they serve do make it out during the week, there are the working poor, who only have the weekend for shopping for household necessities. The store is stocked by donations and requires an extensive team of volunteers to test electronics, do minor repairs to furniture and inspect clothing, as well as stock the aisles and run the cashier desk.
Parishioners and friends of both the youth group and the SSVP are encouraged to come out for the “grand opening” of the new Saturday hours: Saturday, February 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come say ‘Hi’ and maybe, do some shopping in support of both our youth, and the SSVP.