Caption: Photo by Jan Herringer
Front row, left to right: Suzanne Granstrand, Rosemary Lombard, nancy Hevert, Gigi Tilocca, Karen Salemme, Donna Towner, MaryBeth Eliades, Susan McClelland. Back row: Patti Tomasso, CarolePeyton, Michelle William, Ann Ormsby, Jane Francz
Front row, left to right: Suzanne Granstrand, Rosemary Lombard, nancy Hevert, Gigi Tilocca, Karen Salemme, Donna Towner, MaryBeth Eliades, Susan McClelland. Back row: Patti Tomasso, CarolePeyton, Michelle William, Ann Ormsby, Jane Francz
Westfield Service League Announces Grants to Local Nonprofits
Grants given to 45 civic and service organizations of Westfield and Union County
(Westfield, NJ, April, 2025)
The Westfield Service League (WSL) membership voted to approve $92,613 in grants to 45 civic and service organizations serving the residents of Westfield and Union County. The funds are raised from the thrift and consignment shop that the WSL runs in Westfield and donations from the community.
“I'm thrilled that because of the devotion of our shoppers, consignors, and donors, and the
wonderful work of our staff and volunteers, we were able to award the largest amount in several
years to local nonprofit organizations," said Grants Committee Co-Chair Gigi Tilocca. "It is
always great to fund tried and true nonprofit and service organizations doing good work in our
communities, as well as new organizations, all vetted by our dedicated grants committee
members.”
This year's grant recipients included organizations helping children with cancer and their
families, seniors with Alzheimer's, after school and summer programs for underserved children,
arts organizations, a suicide prevention hotline, and other important community services. A full
list of the organizations is below.
“We are grateful for the ongoing support of the WSL Thrift & Consignment Shop customers and
the more than 175 volunteers who work tirelessly in our shops processing the clothing that is
donated or consigned, maintaining our house where the shops are housed, vetting the
organizations which receive funding and all of the other activities that go into running our
organization," said Grants Committee Co-Chair Jane Francz.
Each year, members of the Grants Committee are each assigned a number of organizations to vet. Vetting includes a meeting with a representative of the organization, usually on site, and a review of the organization’s financial statements and their application. The committee then meets to discuss each organization and a recommendation is made to the full membership and voted on.
“We want to thank all of the members of the committee for their hard work in making sure that
the money we raise goes to the best possible programs in deserving organizations,” said Susan
McClelland and Karen Salemme, Co-Presidents of the WSL.
Grants were given to two new organizations this year, The Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto) and the Union County College Foundation.
The complete list of organizations receiving grants follows:
The Adult School
Caring Contact
CASA of Passaic and Union Counties
Children’s Specialized Hospital Foundation
Covenant House New Jersey/ Raphael's Life House
El Centro Hispanoamericano
Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless
Elizabethport Presbyterian Center
Emmanuel Cancer Foundation
Flintlocks, BSA, Inc., The
Friends of Brightwood Park
Girls on the Run
HomeSharing
Imagine
Inroads to Opportunities
Institute of Music for Children, The
Jewish Family Service of Central New Jersey
Josephine's Place
Mobile Meals of Westfield
Moms Helping Moms
New Jesery Festival Orchestra
New Jersey Workshop for the Arts
Newark Bait and Fly Casting Club
Petty Love Productions
Preserve Shady Rest Clubhouse
Refugee Assistant Program
Restore Ministries Inc.
Roots & Wings
St. Joseph's Social Service Center
St. Mary's Sunday Dinner
Trinitas Foundation
Union County College Foundation
Union County Connects
Valerie Fund, The
Valerie’s Soup Kitchen
Westfield Area YMCA
Westfield Arts Collective (Rialto)
Westfield Community Band
Westfield Food Pantry
Westfield Historical Society
Westfield Neighborhood Council
Westlake School
Whiskers Rescue
Youth and Family Counseling
The WSL shop is located at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield and is open Tuesday through
Friday, 9:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information about
donations or volunteering, call 908-233-2530 for the Thrift Shop or 908-232-1223 for the
Consignment Shop.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for notice of sales and special items.
Susan McClelland and Karen Salemme, WSL co-presidents, attended Imagine’s Mid-Year Gathering on April 2, 2025. Imagine has been one of many grant recipients of the WSL. Please shop with us so we can continue the good work.
Hang, Price, Repeat: Meet the Women Who Volunteer to Run the WSL Thrift & Consignment Shop
Net proceeds from donated and consigned items support local non-profits
Net proceeds from donated and consigned items support local non-profits
Every Monday at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield, a team of determined ladies hang and price donated and consigned clothing to sell at the Westfield Service League Thrift and Consignment Shop. Each year they raise between eighty and ninety thousand dollars from the clothing and other items and donate it to local non-profit organizations in the area. Currently, League volunteers are vetting the organizations who will receive the funds in June.
In total, more than 80 volunteers work shifts each week to process the clothing, housewares, jewelry, toys, books, small furniture, designer bags and more that is brought to the blue Victorian house which is owned and maintained by the League. But a few ladies step up each year to manage the shop, including the flow of inventory, deciding when items will go on sale, making sure merchandise is displayed in an attractive manner, and that it is season-appropriate.
The women, who come from all walks of life, were all looking to find to a way to give back to the community, form friendships, and to do good work. Sarah Martin, who co-chairs the Consignment Shop with Arlene Bertrand and Charlotte Abruzzo, came to the US from the UK 11 years ago. She wanted to meet new people in her new community and to be involved in charitable work. “The League has been a blessing by introducing me to so many wonderful friends whilst volunteering and helping raise fabulous amounts of money each year to be donated to so many worthy charitable organizations,” she said.
Many of the women join the League after retirement. Paula Davino, who chairs the Thrift Shop, was looking for something worthwhile to do after a long career as a teacher. “After 33 years as an early childhood teacher in NYC and 15 years as an assistant teacher at St. Paul’s Day school, here in Westfield, it was time to retire. I quickly realized I needed something worthwhile to do. The Service League has helped me find a new purpose and when that purpose is helping others, it just feels good,” she said.
Others love the fact that all of the merchandise is finding a new home instead of merely being thrown out. Arlene Bertrand sees the League’s operation in this way: “In addition to the opportunity to work with and meet wonderful women, I believe that the League is a full recycling effort - items that are donated to the Thrift Shop and items that are consigned for sale in the Consignment Shop are kept out of landfills. Those items in turn are purchased to be used again. The monies gathered from those sales are donated back to organizations in the community. Everybody wins,” said Arlene.
Charlotte Abruzzo, who has been a volunteer with the League for 41 years and has held numerous leadership positions including House Chair, Personnel Chair, Comptroller for both Consignment & Thrift shops, and Long Range Planning, has found lifelong friendships with other volunteers. “So many of the wonderful ladies I have met are so hard working, talented and generous with their time,” she said.
Last year the League donated more than $91 thousand to 41 local non-profits. The 2025 grants will be announced in June.
The WSL shop is located at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield and is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information about donations or volunteering, call 908-233-2530 for the Thrift Shop or 908-232-1223 for the Consignment Shop.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for notice of sales and special items.
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Photo: (left to right) Charlotte Abruzzo, Sarah Martin, Arlene Bertrand and Paula Davino volunteer to manage the Westfield Service League Thrift & Consignment Shop.
In total, more than 80 volunteers work shifts each week to process the clothing, housewares, jewelry, toys, books, small furniture, designer bags and more that is brought to the blue Victorian house which is owned and maintained by the League. But a few ladies step up each year to manage the shop, including the flow of inventory, deciding when items will go on sale, making sure merchandise is displayed in an attractive manner, and that it is season-appropriate.
The women, who come from all walks of life, were all looking to find to a way to give back to the community, form friendships, and to do good work. Sarah Martin, who co-chairs the Consignment Shop with Arlene Bertrand and Charlotte Abruzzo, came to the US from the UK 11 years ago. She wanted to meet new people in her new community and to be involved in charitable work. “The League has been a blessing by introducing me to so many wonderful friends whilst volunteering and helping raise fabulous amounts of money each year to be donated to so many worthy charitable organizations,” she said.
Many of the women join the League after retirement. Paula Davino, who chairs the Thrift Shop, was looking for something worthwhile to do after a long career as a teacher. “After 33 years as an early childhood teacher in NYC and 15 years as an assistant teacher at St. Paul’s Day school, here in Westfield, it was time to retire. I quickly realized I needed something worthwhile to do. The Service League has helped me find a new purpose and when that purpose is helping others, it just feels good,” she said.
Others love the fact that all of the merchandise is finding a new home instead of merely being thrown out. Arlene Bertrand sees the League’s operation in this way: “In addition to the opportunity to work with and meet wonderful women, I believe that the League is a full recycling effort - items that are donated to the Thrift Shop and items that are consigned for sale in the Consignment Shop are kept out of landfills. Those items in turn are purchased to be used again. The monies gathered from those sales are donated back to organizations in the community. Everybody wins,” said Arlene.
Charlotte Abruzzo, who has been a volunteer with the League for 41 years and has held numerous leadership positions including House Chair, Personnel Chair, Comptroller for both Consignment & Thrift shops, and Long Range Planning, has found lifelong friendships with other volunteers. “So many of the wonderful ladies I have met are so hard working, talented and generous with their time,” she said.
Last year the League donated more than $91 thousand to 41 local non-profits. The 2025 grants will be announced in June.
The WSL shop is located at 114 Elmer Street in Westfield and is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information about donations or volunteering, call 908-233-2530 for the Thrift Shop or 908-232-1223 for the Consignment Shop.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for notice of sales and special items.
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Photo: (left to right) Charlotte Abruzzo, Sarah Martin, Arlene Bertrand and Paula Davino volunteer to manage the Westfield Service League Thrift & Consignment Shop.
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A brief history of WSL
For 89 years, the Westfield Service League has served Westfield and Union County as a service organization and resale shop.
We offer a mix of new and gently used clothing for sale in Consignment and Thrift. The proceeds from the shops help us help others by awarding grants to other Westfield and Union County nonprofit and service organizations.
We like to say we put used goods to good work.
To find out what sort of treasures you may find in our Consignment and Thrift shops, visit our Weekly News page or become a WSL Insider and be among the first to learn what's new in our shops by signing up for our newsletter below. See shop pages for more information.
Donate with dignity
If, like us, you dream of your closet or your children's closet looking like the one above, where you can actually see what you own, and you've spent your time at home cleaning your closet, please consider dropping off your donations in Thrift. We are seeking items that you would give to your BFF. If you wouldn't give it to someone you love, please don't give it to us. Visit our Thrift Donation FAQs page for more information on how to donate.
Want to earn a little extra cash? Consign with us!
If you hate to part with something that is still in excellent shape but you know you're never going to wear and could use a little post-holiday cash, consider consigning with our Consignment Shop. To find out how, visit our Consignment FAQs page.
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