Anney’s Closet

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 Who We Help

Anney’s Closet is a “free store” for women who are transitioning to a new, usually independent living situation. Anney's Closet "shoppers" are often fleeing violence, domestic abuse or other unsafe living situations, or aging out of foster care. 

How It Works

Women in need of assistance in outfitting their new homes are referred to us from advocates at our partner agencies, social workers, youth and family counsellors, and school counsellors who watch over girls in foster care, girls pregnant or parenting at a young age, or women living in a recovery or transition house.

Using household items donated by downsizing seniors, friends of Soroptimists, and other kind-hearted folks in our community, shoppers are able to shop for free for the household items they need to transform their living space into a functional and comfortable home. Goods are acquired by donation from the community and are carefully curated and displayed in a shop-like setting.

In Our Clients’ Words

  • “Words can’t even describe how I am feeling today 😊! Thank you Anney’s Closet for everything you do. I feel blessed to have been able to come here today. I have never had anything for me and today I was able to pick from beautiful items. Barbara made my time here so very special. I will never forget this experience. Thank you very much!”

  • “I am really grateful to have the opportunity to get started with my life, in the right way. I am not the type of person to ask for anything, so I am glad Barbara helped me get the things I needed, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten the things I need. Thank you!”

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 How You Can Help

When people learn about Anney’s Closet, they always want to know what they can do to help. We have three specific areas where we can always use help…

Volunteer

Anney’s Closet operates solely through the hard work of our volunteers. During our twice-monthly Donation Days, volunteers help unpack and sort new donations. If you love to create order out of chaos, then this is for you! When you volunteer during shopping visits, you will join a Soroptimist member and an agency worker to assist shoppers with choosing items, wrapping and packing items, and transporting them to vehicles. Volunteers also help wash, dry, and fold sheets and towels that are donated so that our shoppers have fresh linens to choose from for their new home. This task can be done on your own time, in your own home. As a volunteer you’ll also help build relationships with social agencies and the community.

To volunteer, contact us at volunteer.sivw@gmail.com.

Partner with Us

Our partnership with the United Way of Southern Vancouver Island is a match made in heaven! This funding partnership means we can expand our services to more women in need and offer every shopper additional items such as pillows, a grocery gift card, personal hygiene products, and so much more!

Since its inception in 2012, the space for Anney’s Closet — 4 huge storage lockers in an immaculate indoor storage facility located at 1621 Island Highway — is donated to us by Westshore U-Lock Mini Storage. This long-standing partnership is one that we are extremely proud of.

We are also grateful to Foster’s Moving, Soap for Hope, and the Westshore Quilter’s Guild for the in-kind donations and services they provide to Anney’s Closet.

Interested in partnering with us and being part of an amazing community project? We tell everyone about the help we get from our sponsors and we always look for opportunities to promote Our Partners.

Check out our Sponsors & Partners Opportunity Guide to learn the benefits of partnering with us.

If you’re interested, we'd love to hear from you.

Donate

We always need a constant supply of ‘gently used, like-new’ household items.

Anney’s Closet relies on donations from downsizing seniors, families, organizations, and generous community members to fill the Anney’s Closet shelves. See our Items Needed List below for our a list of what we DO and DO NOT accept.

Donation Days are held on the 2nd and 3rd Saturday of the month (with exceptions).

Anney’s Closet does not accept:

If you have questions about donations, contact our Donation Day Coordinator at anneysdonations@gmail.com

We gratefully accept cash donations which go towards purchasing extra items for our shoppers. If you’d like to make a cash donation, send an e-transfer to victoriawestshore@soroptimist.net or send a cheque payable to Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore to PO Box 100, 1621 Island Highway, Victoria BC, V9B 1H9

Disclaimer: Please note that some donated items may not be suitable for our Anney’s Closet shoppers and these items may be donated to sister charitable organizations or sold for fair market value with proceeds being retained in Anney’s Closet to be used towards services offered by Anney’s Closet.

 Items Needed

Rule of Thumb for Donation Items

We are always looking for “gently used, like-new” household items. If you wouldn’t want to receive it, or wouldn’t feel confident giving it as a re-gift in the condition it is now (not as it once was), it is not suitable for Anney’s Closet.

Baking & Cooking

  • Pots & Pans

  • Casserole Dishes

  • Muffin Pans

  • Measuring Cups, Spoons

  • Mixing Bowls

  • Kettles

  • Frying Pans

  • Roasting Pans

  • Loaf Pans

  • Sifters

  • Blenders

  • Toasters

  • Crock Pots

  • Cake & Pie Pans

  • Cookie Sheets

  • Cooling Racks

  • Hand Mixers

  • Small Microwaves/toaster ovens

Serving

  • Cutlery

  • Oven Mitts, Hot Pads

  • Tea Pots

  • Spatulas, Potato Peelers

  • Mugs

  • Serving Bowls & Platters

  • Cutlery Holders

  • Salt & Pepper Shakers

  • Cream & Sugar Bowls

  • Can Openers

  • Glasses

  • Tupperware

  • Knives

  • Canisters

  • Flippers, Ladles, Whisks

  • Cutting Boards

  • Dishes & Dish Sets

  • Dish Racks & Drain Trays

Linens

  • Dish Cloths

  • Hand Towels

  • Beach Towels

  • Pillow Cases

  • Quilts

  • Tea Towels

  • Bath Towels

  • Shower Curtains

  • New Pillows

  • Blankets

  • Face Cloths

  • Bath Mats

  • Sheets (Sgl, Dbl, Qn)

  • Throw Pillows

Large Furniture

Send an email to anneysdonations@gmail.com to arrange

  • Dining tables & dining chairs

  • Dressers

  • Night Stands

  • Coffee Tables

  • End Tables & Night Stands

  • Bookshelves

  • Desks & Desk Chairs

  • Stools

  • TV consoles

  • Lamps

Small Furnishings

  • Small Tables & Chairs

  • Small Lamps

  • End Tables & Night Stands

  • Small Dressers

  • Small TV Stands

  • Microwave Stands

Clean & Organize

  • Waste Baskets

  • Clothes Hangers

  • Laundry Baskets

  • Brooms & Dust Pans

  • Mops & Buckets

  • Vacuums

  • Irons

  • Toothbrushes/Soap Holders

Disclaimer: Please note that some donated items may not be suitable for our Anney’s Closet shoppers and these items may be donated to sister charitable organizations or sold for fair market value with proceeds being retained in Anney’s Closet to be used towards services offered by Anney’s Closet.

Here’s how you can get in touch:

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Our Humble Beginnings

How did the idea of Anney’s Closet evolve?

A couple of years ago, one of our Women’s Opportunity Award recipients requested a laptop instead of our usual cash award. At the award celebration, our Soroptimist  club members began asking her if she needed a bed, or household items, or other things they could donate. Soon she was supplied with many things to set up her new life.

The idea of Anney’s Closet was born. Through discussion with our contacts at Boys and Girls Club, social workers and youth advocates, we confirmed there are many youth in our community who start out with nothing other than their clothes when they age out of the foster care system at age 18, or when they sign youth agreements between the ages of 16-18. Some of them are pregnant or parenting at the same time. The social workers thought our “free store” shopping sprees would be an incredible opportunity for these youths.

When we first began Anney’s Closet, we were reaching out to local social service agencies to get the word out. Among the first agencies was the Boys and Girls Club’s Care Home Parenting Program. The program then functioned as a group home for young pregnant women, giving them a micro apartment for the months they lived onsite. While in the group home for the last months of their pregnancies and first months of their babies’ lives, they received lessons in budgeting and home management, infant care, and other programs aimed at making them successful in their new roles as single mums.

When SIVW met with the executive director, she stated that her desire was to have a rocking chair for each client for her stay at the home, which the mum could take with her when she and baby left. The director hoped for “rocking circles” where these lessons could be directed to the young mums while they and baby could be rocking and bonding in a large circle with the other mums. We stepped into the role of finding the rockers. We didn’t keep an accurate count, but one order alone was for 28 rocking chairs, and others were in the range of 10 to 15. We estimate 45 to 50 rockers were provided to CHPP through our requests to the community and friends. The program came to an end when CHPP changed its format.

Club member Anney Ardiel shared to the club that she sends truckloads of beautiful household items to charity every month when helping to downsize seniors. The idea was born – why not redirect some of the very nicest things to help youth in our community who are starting out on their own?

When we asked West Shore U-Lock Mini Storage if they would donate a locker on an ongoing basis for us to house Anney’s Closet, they offered their largest locker and their staff even contributed donated items to the locker.

We formed committees, recruited volunteers and sponsors, and found more social service agencies helping youth in our community. After a year of hard work, Anney’s Closet officially launched on June 8, 2013.

 Anney’s Closet in the Press

A decade of helping women: Public invited to Anney’s Closet anniversary in View Royal

Story by Justin Samanski-Langille - May 20, 2023 Goldstream Gazette