One person can make a huge impact. Sister Carmen Community Center (SCCC) is living proof of that! Fifty-five years ago, Sister Carmen Ptacnik, a Catholic nun from California, arrived in Colorado to assess the needs of the people of Lafayette. Six years later, she returned to California, but her humanitarian efforts inspired community members to start a local non-religious nonprofit in her name. Today, SCCC carries on the legacy of one woman who saw the needs of the people here and helped in any way she could.
One way was by gathering and distributing food, clothes, and household goods to people in need. This evolved into our food bank and thrift store, which have had three locations over the years. When we outgrew the space on Baseline Road (generously rented to us by the City of Lafayette for $1 per year), the food bank and administrative offices moved to Aspen Ridge while the thrift store stayed behind and expanded into that space.
Today, our thrift store generates about $750,000 in revenue annually to help cover the cost of running the programs and services offered at our family resource center. As we face reduced funding this year, we recently made the difficult decision to raise prices at the store for the first time in 10 years. Not to worry though, with most items still priced under $3, our thrift store remains the best bargain around. But it’s more than that.
It’s also a place that fosters community and sustainability. People come together to care for each other—those who no longer need items that are still in good condition donate them so others can use them, thereby diverting tons of pounds from local landfills.
In 2024, we issued thrift store vouchers equaling almost $37,000 to 472 SCCC participant households. But the most valuable thing in our thrift store is not for sale: it’s the spirit of community that fills the space.
While the store is a lifeline to those in need of clothing and household basics, many regulars who visit the thrift store every week are not always in search of physical items. Sometimes, they’re just looking for a friendly chat or some human interaction.
Our staff and volunteers are always happy to oblige. “People come not just for the goods and resources, but to connect. It’s a hub for community,” says Katie, a Retail Supervisor at the store. “We see people, like friends and neighbors, bumping into each other here and catching up.”
Brook, a Retail Assistant, says it reminds her of the 1980s TV show Cheers, where everybody in the bar knew Norm. “I see so many people greeting each other with a warm handshake or a hug, reconnecting with people they know. We hear a lot of ‘Hi, how are you doing?,’ ‘How’s the family?’”
Staffers also enjoy chatting with regular shoppers and pointing out items that might be of interest to them. And, of course, we couldn’t run the thrift store without the help of our wonderful volunteers!
Randi discovered SCCC about 20 years ago when she relocated from upstate New York and had some furniture she no longer needed. A friend recommended that she donate it to our thrift store. Randi has been donating to and volunteering at Sister Carmen in some capacity ever since, even serving on our Board of Directors for a time. But her favorite spot to volunteer in is our thrift store. She says the camaraderie among the volunteers is a big reason for this.
“We have a great rapport. We check on each other’s families and health issues. It’s heartwarming, like family.”
This very active 78-year-old also likes that working in the store keeps her moving! Most days, you’ll find her busy sorting clothes and pushing them on racks.
People of all ages and abilities volunteer at our thrift store—from Daniel, a high school student who has been volunteering for the past two years, to a group of folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities from North Metro Community Services.
The thrift store is also a Boulder County Community Service approved work site for non-violent and non-theft related charges. It’s the young community service workers that Farhat, our Thrift Store Director, enjoys working with the most.
“I made my share of mistakes as a kid. I was able to turn it around, and I like being able to help people get back on the right path,” he says. “They see what a valuable resource we are for the community, and they like being a part of it.”