The Rummage Room will celebrate its 58th year in service to the Old Greenwich community when it reopens on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 11:00am.
“Reopening is always exciting for The Rummage Room, and it’s definitely worth a visit,” said Leanne Meyer, Manager of The Rummage Room in a release. “I’m looking forward to reopening on September 6, as we have a lot of new and good quality items for this day. Furthermore, we need your donations of items and your shopping dollars more than ever before because we have so many charities that need help.”
Every summer, The Rummage Room closes its doors in August for a few weeks to clean and tidy up the store and to set out some new items. Meyer and her team of employees and volunteers even re-paint the walls before taking some much-needed time off.
For nearly six decades, the quaint second-hand shop run through the Women’s Fellowship of the First Congregational Church of Greenwich has received year-round donations of all kinds and donated millions of dollars in profits from the resale of those items to local, national and international women’s, children’s and family charities. Each fall, letters are sent to recent recipients to apply for funding. Church members are also encouraged to recommend new organizations to be considered. Applications are reviewed and taken through a rigorous process in the spring, and recommendations for funding are voted on at the Women’s Fellowship Annual Meeting in May.
Car Westbrook, Chair of the Women’s Fellowship at First Congregational Church of Greenwich added, “I’m extremely proud of the positive impact that First Congregational Church has had on the community over the years as a result of the profits from The Rummage Room. In 2022, we distributed funds across 41 organizations.”
Sheila Bennett, Co-chair of the Allocations Committee, said, “The pandemic created a significant shift in needs, and the process became one of great challenge – and reward. It is because of the board, staff, volunteers and donors at The Rummage Room that we had the ability to continue the legacy of distributing the much-needed funds, even during these unprecedented times.”
The Rummage Room is open for business and donation drop-offs Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To learn more about The Rummage Room, please click here, or contact Leanne Meyer at 203.637.1875.
The Rummage Room began in 1964 as an annual rummage sale held at the First Congregational Church of Greenwich (FCCOG). This event was so successful it was transformed into a business housed in a vacant storefront at 191 Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich. In true “barn-raising” tradition, volunteers cleaned floor to ceiling, painted walls and doors, built shelves and bins, and created the little shop. Today, still owned and operated by the Women’s Fellowship of FCCOG, The Rummage Room is staffed by a manager, p/t assistant managers and 30 volunteers. Over the past 50 years, the business has thrived and been responsible for the contribution of over four million dollars to local, national and international benevolent organizations. https://www.fccog.org/about-us/the-rummage-room/
ABOUT FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF GREENWICH
First Congregational Church of Greenwich (FCCOG) was established in 1665 and declares itself open and affirming to all for participation, membership, leadership and employment. The church’s mission is to proclaim the gospel to all people and to work for the promotion of justice, the reign of peace, and the search for human understanding in all our relationships. The FCCOG historical building features a bell tower with 12 copper and block tin bells, various cornerstones dating back to 1895, and renovated stained-glass windows that date back to 1896. www.fccog.org