Volunteer opens aid shop after closure of local giveaway store
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Natascha Stiers, a volunteer in Zonhoven, Belgium, began a new aid project called ‘De Hulpwinkel’ (The Aid Shop) in her backyard after the giveaway store in Houthalen closed.
The Houthalen store shut down following disputes with neighbours and the local government. Natascha, who volunteered at the Houthalen store for 12 years, now offers clothing, household items, and companionship to people in need from a carport on her property.
Approximately ten people visited the new shop on its opening day, seeking both affordable goods and social interaction. Natascha quickly collected a large amount of donated items, creating space challenges within the carport. She currently uses gas heaters to try and keep the area warm, but hopes to find a larger, covered space before winter arrives.
Corvers, the founder of the former giveaway store, is advising Natascha and is pleased the new shop can help some of the previous store’s clients. Natascha aims to support families who earn slightly too much to qualify for aid from organizations like Sint-Vincentius, as well as those facing immediate hardship, and is asking for donations of usable items to extend the shop’s reach.
