Two Todman (run by our Brooklyn Parish whānau) is serving the community of Brooklyn in more ways than one.

Last year Two Todman opened an Op Shop as one of their community initiatives. The aim is to provide a point of daily engagement with the Brooklyn community, and as a revenue engine for their ongoing projects in the community.

And exciting things have been happening; with new signage in place the Two Todman Thrift Store has been humming with foot traffic. The store has had a great response from the community, and they have some exciting things coming up.

Over the course of this year, Two Todman has been able to partner with three community groups who have been the recipients of shop proceeds. First was The Free Store, to support the work they do with the redistribution of food to those living on margins. Next was Brooklyn Scouts who are raising funds to install new windows in their building. And the current project is partnering with Brooklyn Kindergarten who are planning to replace the carpet in their main learning space.

The Op Shop simply could not run without an incredible team of volunteers (pictured) who give of their time every week. The current team is made up of ten regulars that range from high school students to retirees! Together the volunteer team contributes a variety of skills that no person alone could bring. There are individuals who shine when it comes to shop presentation, and others who keep the space in ship-shape condition with their weekly clean. They have some long-time Brooklyn locals who create a buzz of conversation in the shop and others who are newer to the suburb and enjoy sorting and pricing stock.

Last year Scottie Reeve told us why Two Todman was so important. “We know that ministry isn’t about buildings, but because of our location and facilities we have a unique opportunity to serve our neighbourhood, and to be good news. We wanted to think carefully and deliberately about how we used what we have to build more connectedness in our neighbourhood.” And it’s great to see that the Op Shop is doing just that. The team at Two Todman look forward to making more connections in the community as they go forward.