Braintree Woman Is Interfaith Social Services Vol. Of The Month

From Interfaith Social Services: Braintree’s Michelle Goldthwaite has been named Interfaith’s Social Services’ Volunteer of the Month for June. Goldthwaite is a volunteer at Interfaith’s Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop, where she assists in posting high value or unusual donations to the e-commerce website, eBay. Revenue from the sales goes back to Interfaith’s many programs, including the food pantry.

Bureau Drawer Manager Cindy Lee said the shop often receives donations from the community that would sell best to a wider audience. Donations may include designer clothing, accessories and jewelry, collectibles, or rare toys. Many items have never been used. These donations are collected each week and handed off to Goldthwaite, who researches them, then handles the posting, monitoring and shipping of items on Interfaith’s eBay site.

Lee said Goldthwaite was selected for the Volunteer of the Month award because of her dedication behind the scenes. “In the past year and a half, she has sold close to 150 of these various things for more than $7,500,” Lee said. “This also means she has made more than 150 trips to the post office – that alone is amazing! That $7,500 allows us to provide more than 37,000 meals to our food pantry clients.”

Goldthwaite, who has been volunteering at Interfaith for close to three years, chose to serve at Interfaith because of their mission. “I love how the organization can assist clients on so many levels, from food, to emergency, to holiday assistance, and so much more,” she said. “I really enjoy working with the people at Interfaith, and also researching some of the many interesting items that are donated. I have sold everything from vintage teapots to 14k gold bracelets to cowboy boots.”

Alongside the Bureau Drawer, Interfaith operates one of the largest food pantries in Greater Boston, as well as the New Directions Counseling Center, which provides mental health counseling and addiction recovery treatment to hundreds of local individuals and families.

Goldthwaite is one of more than 100 volunteers who give their time each week at Interfaith to serve those on the South Shore that need assistance. She works alongside other individuals, as well as civic, religious and corporate groups that volunteer with Interfaith.

Volunteers at Interfaith Social Services commit to a three-hour shift per week. Shifts are available Monday-Friday, between 7am and 3:30pm. Opportunities include working in the Bureau Drawer, assisting the Food Pantry Driver in food rescue operations, filling orders for clients in the food pantry, manning the front desk and stocking and inventorying the pantry.

Those interested in volunteering at Interfaith Social Services are encouraged to contact volunteer coordinator Paula Daniels at 617-773-6203 ext. 28 or pdaniels@interfaithsocialservices.org.

Photo, Image courtesy of Interfaith Social Services