Thrift4People

17-year-old Founder, Wallis Blivin, launched the store in March 2021 with a passion for thrifting and the purpose of giving to others

SANTA FE, NM, UNITED STATES, September 24, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Thrift4People, a nonprofit thrift store that opened March 27, 2021 with a goal of providing skills scholarships for skills training, books, and other costs incurred by learners pursuing their careers , has announced its first scholarship awards. A total of $10,391 has been provided to seven learners across Santa Fe to advance their futures. The application process opened after only 13 weeks of opening the store. Thrift4people is open one day a week, on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., as the owner and Founder, Wallis Blivin, is a high school senior at Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

“I decided to open the store during COVID, as I really wanted to do something that would help others and be fun at the same time. I have always thrifted, and I realized that I could start a business while doing what I enjoy and helping others at the same time,” said Wallis Blivin. “We started asking for donations in early March, and we have continued to receive so many donations from across the Santa Fe community. That is what made these scholarships possible.”

Thrift4People began with a skills-based scholarship strategy, but realized through the scholarship process that many students working on degrees also need assistance - including books, transportation, childcare, and other costs not covered through traditional educational funding.

Scholarships to seven (7) learners ranged from $290 for a student to take a non-credit technical course at Santa Fe Community College to $3,000 for a young Santa Fean, Cesar Arroyo to continue his work towards a criminal justice degree and cover additional expenses not covered by tuition assistance. Leyanna Wilds was thrilled to find out she would receive the scholarship to assist in her costs to attend school while also working to support herself. “I graduated high school as an unaccompanied youth (on my own),” said Leyanna. “It took me four years to get my life together and be able to go back to school (college). Thanks to the Thrift4People scholarship, I am able to pay off my costs and keep learning how to follow my dream of becoming a mechanical engineer.”

"It’s been really awesome to be able to help students across Santa Fe get more access to education through our scholarships,” said Wallis Blivin, Founder. “We couldn’t do any of this without the community of Santa Fe being so gracious with donations and being returning customers each Saturday.”

Scholarships will continue to be awarded. The open application can be found here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1w7ragYyR3iSgz0S-uLJU_QnvqmobnqSqjFqbYpOXvAE/edit#settings.

Wallis Blivin
Thrift4People
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