Around this time last year, Nancy Bohannon was organizing the first U.S. Pop-Up Street Store to serve Louisville’s homeless population. And now, she’s organizing the city’s third pop-up, with the need as great as ever.
May 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Campbell and Washington Streets in the Buchertown/NuLu area, donations of warm weather clothing for all ages, personal hygiene and other supplies will be joyfully accepted during store hours. Volunteers are needed to "construct" the store, sort merchandise and assist shoppers. Offers to help break down, clean up and haul "left-overs" to local shelters will be gladly accepted.
Items are offered free to those in need. Bohannon shared this moment from the autumn Street Store:
"Oh, look at those, Momma!" The little girl pointed to the pint-sized pink jeans studded with rhinestones at the pockets.
"And just your size," said her mother, who smiled and tucked the pants into a shopping bag without breaking her stride. She was on a mission. It was a shopping spree.
The little girl stayed close and the pair maneuvered around people, from tarp to tarp as the mother filled the bag.
"Momma, can we afford that?" the kid asked over and over.
Finally, the mother replied, quietly, "Yes, honey, we can."
It was a shopping spree and it was all free.
It was the second Louisville Pop Up Street Store for the Homeless in the Portland Neighborhood, October 2014.
True story.
Bohannon also arranges for donated services, like haircuts and shaves, during the Pop-Up Street Store.
"The simple act of getting a haircut and a shave is so mundane, yet to a homeless person it is monumental. It gives back a little bit of dignity. Watching brought tears to my eyes." said Bohannon. "There's a lot of love at these things. Stick around when you drop off your donations. You can't tell the shoppers from the volunteers most of the time!"
The Pop-Up Street Stores are timed to help as many of the 7300 homeless in Louisville as possible to transition between cold and hot seasons. Locations change to accommodate homeless that may not have transportation. Bohannon and her crew hope that in time they can expand operations and encourage others to offer more frequent Pop-Up Stores in locations all over the Louisville and Southern Indiana area.
For more information, call Nancy Bohannon @ 502.533.3041 or see the Pop-Up Store Facebook page.
Photo: StreetStore.org
