Dressing Windows

Two weeks ago, I started volunteering as a window dresser for Housing Works, a HIV/AIDS advocacy group that provides housing, healthcare and other resources to homeless New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDs. Part of what they do to fund their vital services is by operating Thrift Shops all over New York City, where they sell gently used designer items. Some very special items, such as a new pair of Manolo Blahniks, antique sterling silver tea trays, fin-de-siecle chairs, etc. are displayed in the windows and auctioned off online in an ebay-esque manner.  Last year, Housing Works raised $1,349,512 in their online auctions alone!

I volunteer on Sundays, at their West Village location, designing displays and dressing their show windows. Here are some of the windows I dressed:

                        
                     Valentine's Day theme               V-day Men's window
                                       

                                       
                                                Previous week

Volunteering there is a lot of fun. Rupert, the friendly manager sets a very positive tone and a bevy of volunteers mill about the place, color coordinating the clothing, rearranging the displays. One of the volunteers run out to get all of us drinks or cookies. We talk amongst ourselves on who has their eye on what (the volunteers get a discount at the end of their shift). Probably the most fun is where we sort the donated items and discover what label snobs we are...(Gap! No way! Ahh... Miu Miu, we'll put you on the mannequin.).

The volunteers are high school students, college students and locals from the area.  I'm having fun getting to know them individually - and at the end of my second day volunteering, I even earned a "hey babe" from the other volunteers. Several people complimented me on my displays and windows - but what really flattered me was that I had to continously dress the mannequins because shoppers would try on the ensembles I put together and ultimately buy them.

It's an odd sort of revelation - it's wonderful to volunteer and to have such fun while you're doing it.

I think many of us view volunteering as short, distilled moments of physical displeasure or boredom at the usually menial task, with mental pleasure at the cause... but I'm learning that it can be both physically pleasant and mentally gratifying.

If you'd like to volunteer at Housing Works Thrift Shops, click here.

       
245 W 10th St
(bet. bleeker & hudson)
212.352.1618

Come say hi sometime. I'll be there dressing windows.