New to You Thrift Store in Solvang seeking volunteers to support students in healthcare

SOLVANG - From snow globes to Christmas cards, the New to You Thrift Store in Solvang features all kinds of items including clothing, toys, books, and much more.

"I’ve been volunteering here since 1996 and it’s just a fun place to come and work. We have a good time and we meet friends," said volunteer Pat Foxen of the New to You Thrift Store.

Volunteers give more than 16,000 hours of their time each year to support the nonprofit store.

It's a store where the proceeds help students pursuing a health related profession.

"We gave nine $3000 scholarships and that’s a lot of money. And the kids are all local high school kids," said Foxen.
Proceedsalso go to the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage hospital.

"There is a lot of money and we use the money for scholarships all the money goes to the local hospital for equipment," said volunteer Bob Pack.

But in the aftermath of COVID, the store is urgently seeking more volunteers to help support the healthcare community.

"We used to be open seven days a week from 10 in the morning to 4 at night," said Foxen.

Now, due to limited volunteers the store is open just a few days a week.

In order to keep the store open, and perhaps even get it back to seven days of operation, volunteers hope locals will step up and help out.

"It’s a fun place to work. If you’re afraid to use a cash register you don’t have to run a cash register. Ours is so simple," said Foxen.

For more information, contact the store at (805) 688-7178.