INTERVIEW WITH IVAN HELFAND by MAXINE BOOKBINDER –

 June 2024

The Little Shop of Kindness, Team TLC/NYC’s all-volunteer store that serves New York City’s growing migrant population, has helped thousands of these asylum-seekers adjust to their new lives. It has also impacted the lives of its volunteers.

One such volunteer is Ivan Helfand, who spent his professional life as an executive director, chief fundraiser, and grant writer for several non-profit organizations. “You can’t help but be impressed (by asylum-seekers). Their resilience, strength, their leaving home, making a better life for themselves.”

Ivan brings decades of non-profit experience to the Shop. He wrote grants for off-Broadway theaters and for the North Shore Animal League, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. “I did work for organizations I loved and felt a connection and commitment to volunteering for the Shop is a wonderful opportunity.”

Today, as one of two assistant directors at the store, Ivan handles business and finance matters, such as budgeting, raising money, spending cash, receiving in-kind contributions of clothing from corporations and the community, and business. He spends about 30 hours week volunteering. “I like being in the shop. It’s a fun, uplifting environment. I like the way I feel when I walk into the shop. I like being with the other volunteers who have made a commitment to the mission. It is very inspiring. I like the feeling of accomplishment and being part of a team.”

Ivan started volunteering with Team TLC in 2022, when the so-called “Abbott buses,” sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott started arriving from Texas. Ivan estimates that volunteers met about 1000 buses over six months at New York City’s Port Authority bus terminal.

He can connect the plight facing these asylum-seekers today to his own family history. “My grandparents were immigrants from Russia and Poland. Along the way, someone probably helped them. I want to pay it forward.” Ivan put together a fundraising plan,” a must for any successful non-profit. It’s not easy to raise money.” Some methods he has incorporated include soliciting major donors for gifts, writing grants to major corporations and creating mailings and special events. He also helped recruit volunteers to fundraise and write grants as well help with social media, photography, and videography. “In my experience, it is astonishing that we achieved so much in 1 1/2 years. We helped more than 25,000 migrants with clothes, referrals to other non-profits, legal assistance, personal products, anything people might need. Last year, 15,000 people came through the Little Shop of Kindness. Pop-ups around the city helped even more people get clothing, referrals, and other help. Ivan says their 2024 goal is to help at least 18,000 people. Ivan says his friends “admire what I am doing” at the Little Shop of Kindness. But he adds that he is just one of several volunteers. “It is a huge effort.” In his spare time, Ivan likes traveling and golfing, taking care of his two cats, Etta and Ella, as well as music, theater, dance, and film. Ivan is reticent to talk about himself but eager to offer praise for his companion volunteers. “If you want to volunteer for an organization that brings the best out of you, volunteer for Team TLC.”

Interview with Barbara Lakin 

by Maxine Bookbinder

Our Team TLC volunteer Barbara Lakin uses her sewing and fashion expertise to transform battered and dirty Barbie dolls into smiles on little girls’ faces. “This whole thing started organically,” says Barbara. It started from one salvaged Barbie and blossomed from there. Barbara cleaned a naked, brown doll a volunteer pulled from the garbage, sewed a dress and underwear for it, and then gave it to a child at the Little Shop of Kindness. “The little girl who got it was so happy, she cradled it like a baby.” Another volunteer was about to throw out multiple disheveled Barbies. Barbara took these, washed them, brushed their hair, sewed more sundresses and underwear, and handed them out.

A Little Shop of Kindness volunteer for two years, Barbara started sewing clothes to dress unclothed, donated Barbie dolls. She bought fabric to make dresses and underwear; another volunteer bought Amazon Barbie shoes. “The reaction was amazing,” says Barbara. “It’s one thing to get a packaged doll, but when I say, ‘I made the clothes just for you,’ it makes it that much more special.”

The shop had several donated long-sleeved men’s dress, button-down Polo, J. Crew preppy plaid and check shirts which no one wanted. Barbara cut and then hemmed the sleeves, transforming the previously-ignored long-sleeved shirts into more popular short-sleeved shirts, and used the cut material for matching Barbie clothes and girls’ hair scrunchies. So far, she has given out shirts and matching Barbies to eight fathers and daughters. Barbara also fixes jewelry, which she gives to mothers and children, and shops yard and garage sales for toys; recently, she bought 40 matchbox cars for $10.

“These people (asylum-seekers) left home months before, are now living in a shelter or a hotel. At the shop, they are treated like human beings.” To date, Barbara has handed out about 15 Barbies, which she likes to personally hand to the girls when possible. However, there are exceptions. One woman donated a Teddy Bear made from her wedding dress. Barbara cleaned it (“it had New York dust on it”) and gave it back to the volunteer, who handed it to the child. “I’m sure that little girl was thrilled. It was made from her (volunteer’s) wedding dress. It’s not like someone bought it at Kmart.” While the shop volunteers are grateful for all donated items, a majority of donated Barbies are blonde which, says Barbara, “don’t relate to immigrants” especially since an increasing number of asylum-seekers, and shop visitors, are from African countries. Barbara was dressing abandoned Barbie before the Barbie movie reinvigorated the doll’spopularity. Now, she hopes Barbie’s resurgence will increase donations to the store. “It truly sparks joy for little girls when they get Barbies with home-made clothes.” 

Born in England, Barbara became a fashion designer, worked in high-end fashion companies in Italy for five years before, in 1985, deciding to try her luck in New York City. She had an interview on New Year’s Day, landing a job and moving to the U.S. 

Barbara has worked with Team TLC for a year, when the “Abbott” busses started arriving in NYC. She originally set up a donation center in the basement of her apartment building, rescuing good clothes from the garbage, washing them, and then donating them. She asked for clothing and toiletry donations from her building neighbors and on Nextdoor. Two neighbors who also work in the fashion industry gave her new samples of casual clothing, socks, shoes, and old weather accessories. Barbara, who speaks French, Italian, and Spanish, says she “moved from greeting asylum-seekers to setting up the clothing donation tables and sorting clothing shoes and toiletries.” “I have a lot of axes to grind over this whole immigration thing. I’m an immigrant. I was lucky; I had a sponsor for a green card. I see how hard immigrants today work. All they want is a part of this American dream.” Barbara’s mother is Mexican and she has an adopted Mexican son. “He is a very well-spoken, well-dressed, handsome guy. But, he gets followed around in shops; shopkeepers watch him. He is acutely aware of how people look at him because of his skin color. He feels it.”

Little Shop of Kindness welcomes gently-used clothing and toys, toiletries, and monetary donations. Any Barbies, especially dark-haired, are welcomed.https://www.ttlcnyc.org

INTERVIEW WITH VALERIE COLEMAN 

by PIXIE HOLBROOK - MAY 2024

It’s time for an update about “The Little Shop of Kindness” run by Team TLC NYC, and what better way than by interviewing committed volunteer Valerie Coleman! It is a pleasure to hear how vibrant and active the shop continues to be in its new location, there since January. Valerie, one of two assistant directors, tells us that there are close to 30 volunteers a day, with as many as 55-66 appointments made, serving families and individuals between 10:00 and 3:00, Monday through Friday. Appointments for “customers” are made efficiently through Square technology, no longer forming lines outside, with migrant families, at times, sleeping in the streets before opening. They are welcomed and supported during their specific appointments, as they shop (for free!) for clothing, shoes and other miscellaneous items. Volunteers are abundant and committed, having heard about this rewarding opportunity to serve migrants who are eager to be in our country to work and have a better life. Volunteers guide the recipients several days a week and can also serve to be volunteer sorters and organizers on Wednesdays as goods get donated. Valerie was eager to share about the “Super Vols”, agroup of 20 key volunteers who can act as managers (or “El Jefe”) and shopping and sorting trainers. Volunteers often include corporate groups from throughout the city, as so many are eager to help our newly- arrived-potential-citizens. Goods are solicited through the media, with corporations donating such as Shiseido and American Eagle. (Psst... men’s clothing is always needed). When asked, Valerie reported that, in the past, most migrants coming to the shop were from Venezuela, then later Ecuador. Soon after, 60% were coming from African countries such as Chad, Senegal, Guinea and Morocco and they were often single men. Lately, however, the trend has returned to being a mixture of single men and families in need. The services that Team TLC NYC provide are advertised in local shelters by posted flyers and word-of-mouth.

Historically, for Valerie, back in 2017, she heard of Team TLC NYC through a local coalition of synagogues who were working together to help migrants. Her synagogue sponsored 4 young Pakistanis. With the onset of Covid much of that effort shut down. Then two years ago, the wave of migrants to NYC grew intensely with Texas Governor Abbott directing buses to Port Authority at 6:00am and were dropped on the sidewalks with nothing. The mission of Team TLC NYC was renewed and expanded. As are many of us, Valerie is concerned about the future of these transitions into our country. One candidate has made it clear what he will do, and another feels the need to gain more voters’ support by creating stricter laws while still in power. Team TLC NYC will continue to be ready to adapt to the needs of those nearby and who are seeking our help.

Lastly, Valerie shared a very positive contribution that Team TLC NYC offers that might be new to many, though it was reported recently in the New York Times. Being a licensed wedding officiant, Valerie has been able to offer her services in getting migrant couples married. Their legal clinic highly recommends this to families coming to NYC, and three weddings have already been provided! Wedding clothes are available at the Little Shop of Kindness, and the union is officiated in the park nearby with cake andflowers and hugs.     Thank you, Valerie!