When Elizabeth Basa opened Family Tree Resale shop in 2009 at 5066 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood, her mission was "to build an environmentally sustainable shop centered on helping those in need in the local community" in an inclusive way.
Basa's mother raised her on thrift shopping in Chicago during the '70s, so Basa developed a "thrill of treasure hunting for a great deal." Now she wants her shoppers to get that same thrill, as well as, for those in need, a helping hand.
"I envisioned a win-win-win place that would be a fabulous thrift experience for our shoppers, friendly to the planet, and help people who needed free clothing and other goods," said Basa. "Since opening, the plan has remained intact, and over the years, we have built a substantial network of schools and charities that partner with us through our community voucher program."
The community voucher program was inspired by the help Basa's mother, who struggled with mental health issues, received when Basa was growing up. Basa's mother got support from a local thrift shop give-back program which helped sustain their family. Basa now wants to do the same for others.
Local schools and organizations are given Family Tree's free community vouchers, which are then in turn passed on to families in need. Families or organization members with the means to do so are simultaneously encouraged to donate. Basa called it "a sort of ecosystem or cycle of resources that ties the communities to Family Tree, and vice-versa."
Vouchers come in $20 increments and are given to each of the partnering local schools or charities in $200 to $800 increments per quarter. The voucher money given out to each entity depends entirely on the amount of donations the store receives from each partnering local school or charity.
"They can pick out whatever they need like any other customer," said Basa. "Since it began, we have serviced thousands of families. We do not have an exact number, but we do know we have donated back over $260,000 in vouchers."
Among the partnering schools and charities are Chicago Public Schools—Budlong, Waters, Peterson, Jamieson, Ravenswood, Stone Academy, Bateman and Chappell—as well as Truman College, St. Matthias and St. Hilary's School. Charities include Heartland Alliance, The Friendship Center, Syrian Community Network, Apna Ghar, Swedish Hospital, Rohingya Culture Center, The Children's Place, EZRA, Friedman Place, Refugee One, Parish for St. Matthias and Queen of Angels (St. Vincent De Paul), World Relief and Common Pantry.
Basa believes that her voucher program is the only one that services public schools anywhere in the United States. She added that the most popular items people seek out are clothing and home décor items.
"We also have a fantastic kids' department and a large jewelry selection people love," said Basa.
watching each item find a new use when it leaves our store feels great. I enjoy expressing my creativity at work, and I genuinely enjoy working with my co-workers."
She has employed LGBTQ+ people since the store's founding, and told Windy City Times that she "would be happy to learn if there is something we can do" in terms of outreach to the LGBTQ+ community.
"I am happy to work for Family Tree, where I can help neighbors help their neighbors through the community voucher program," said Family Tree Resale Community Outreach Coordinator Hillary Moon, who identifies as pansexual. "It is a good feeling to be a part of the change I wish to see in the world and participate in mutual aid."
"People ask about things you find going through donations, and the items themselves are definitely interesting, but sometimes the story they tell is more so," said Family Tree Resale staff member Sean Selbach. "The postcards, mugs, shirts and books they do not want or have a need for, why it could be. Even photographs and old notes. It is like a little window into their lives, being with them for a second without actually being with them, but I guess the short answer is, a Star Trek: The Next Generation uniform costume with com badge and ranking pipes included."
In terms of Family Tree's green model, Basa said that her resale shop is a way to prevent goods from entering the waste stream when items get thrown in the trash in lieu of being reused by other people. They also use non-toxic cleaners and products as well as recycle in multiple ways.
She added, "Our name, Family Tree, is based on the fact that we are one human family, and in our neighborhood, we are like branches of the same tree. Our aim is to be a bright spot for everyone in our community, respecting and welcoming everyone with open hearts and being a place where everyone can feel comfortable, which of course, includes our LGBTQ+ neighbors."
See familytreeresale.com/ .
