Second Chance in Alamo is getting a new lease on life as Hospice of Contra Costa Foundation takes over the thrift shop that formerly benefited the Danny Foundation.
“I’m happy they’re turning it over to someone else who cares about kids as much as we do,” said store manager Amani Chapdelaine. She started as a volunteer at the store, which is in the Stone Valley Shopping Center, then was hired about a year ago to manage it. Now she says she will stay on as a volunteer again.
“We get a lot of nice, nice things,” Chapdelaine said, looking over a floor-length royal blue sequined evening gown. “Clothes that are almost new or very slightly used.” She said clothes and furniture have been the main moneymakers.
The Danny Foundation ran Second Chance for nearly 20 years to finance its efforts to improve crib safety. The foundation was started after 23-month-old Danny Lineweaver of Alamo was severely injured in 1984 when his shirt became entangled on the corner post of his crib. He died in 1993 after nine years of home care.
The board of directors voted in September to dissolve the Danny Foundation effective Dec. 31, announcing that deaths caused by unsafe cribs had gone from 100 per year when the foundation began to fewer than 16 today.
“A crib purchased in 2005 is largely unrecognizable when compared to the crib that took our son’s life,” said John Lineweaver, head of the foundation.
Second Chance will remain open through Dec. 23 and reopen as Hospice Thrift Shoppe on Jan. 2. All proceeds from the shop will benefit Comfort for Kids, a program of Hospice and Palliative Care of Contra Costa that provides in-home care for young patients with life-limiting illnesses so they can stay in the comfort of their own homes.
Hospice owns four other thrift shops in the county, including in Walnut Creek, Concord, Antioch and in Danville at 444 Diablo Road. They are known for the high quality of their merchandize.
The volunteers at Second Chance said they plan to get the inventory down as far as they can before the shop changes hands. This should make it easier for Hospice, said manager Chapdelaine, because it plans to replace the carpeting.
“We’re trying to liquidate,” said Chapdelaine, noting that the real bargains will come toward the end.
The current volunteers said they are all planning to stay on and volunteer for the Hospice Thrift Shoppe.
