More Than Clothing: Building Community Support for Families in Sherbrooke

Our September Community Exchange ended up being a really special week at Options.

Over the course of the week, more than 40 families were served, with 33 women and families coming through our doors to take part. About three-quarters of those who came were new to Options.

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Some were mothers we were meeting for the first time. Some were foster parents looking for clothing and supplies for a child in their care. Others came with a social worker who had connected them with our centre.

There was such a warm and excited atmosphere throughout the week. We heard lots of “oohs” and “ahhs” as people found things they had been looking for, while conversations carried on over free coffee and snacks. People were connecting, laughing and helping each other find what they needed. Honestly, it was more than our team expected, and it was so encouraging to see.

Come with something, come without something

The idea behind a Community Exchange is pretty simple: bring what your family no longer needs and find something that another family has passed along.

But not everyone came with something to give. And that was completely okay.

Families could come in, look through the items and take what they needed.

There is something nice about that kind of exchange. It isn't about keeping track of who brought what. It's about sharing what we have and making sure useful things don't go to waste when another family could use them.

And honestly, sometimes a family just needs a little help getting through a season.

Making things a little more affordable

We were also really grateful to have Boutique Encore join us during the exchange. They offered participants 25% off their purchases for the week, helping make children's clothing and other necessities a little more affordable.

For families who are already trying to stretch their budget, even a small discount can make a difference.

We love seeing local organizations and businesses find simple ways to support families in our community. No one organization can provide everything a family might need, but together, we can make the village a little bigger.

It doesn't have to be an exchange week

One thing we don't want people to miss is that you don't have to wait for our next Community Exchange to access material support at Options. Nadine's Closet is available throughout the year.

If you have baby clothes, children's clothing, maternity items, diapers, wipes, formula or other baby and pregnancy supplies that your family no longer needs, you can bring them to us to share with another family. You can look to see what we accept here: Donate Resources.

And if you're looking for something for your own family, you can drop in or book an appointment to come and look through the closet. You can book an appointment by clicking: I need support.

You don't have to bring something in order to take something. And you don't have to wait for a special event.

That's really what we want Nadine's Closet to be: a place where people in our community can share what they have and find what they need.

Thank you, community

We were so thankful to be able to open our doors and host our community for this free exchange of resources. Thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, came to browse, brought a friend, or helped spread the word.

And thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experience of Options. One pregnant mama said:

“Wow! What a warm and generous organization. I was able to find a large quantity of baby and maternity items. I’m very grateful because it helped me so much financially. They also offer several services. I will definitely be back, and I’ll make more donations myself to help the next women. :)”

Read our Google reviews to hear more from some of the women and families we've had the privilege of welcoming. We are always so grateful to those who leave reviews that enable others to find this resource.

We hope to do another Community Exchange in the future, but in the meantime, Nadine's Closet is here year-round for families who need it.

Sometimes the challenges of parenting come when we lack support.

That's why support changes what feels possible.