The May Court Club of Windsor is donating to local charities supporting children and youth.
The Club presented over $100,000 on Wednesday evening during a cheque ceremony at the May Court Club Shoppe on Wyandotte Street East.
30 organizations were selected to receive part of the $100,000 donation, including the University of Windsor Basketball Camp, the Windsor Residence for Young Men, Connections Early Years Family Centre, LaSalle Hangout for Youth, John McGivney Children’s Centre, Noah's House, Knit Witts, Kind Minds, and many others.
This donation is possible through the May Court Club Shoppe which is a thrift shop that resells donated clothing for women, men, and children, accessories, and small household items. The store is fully staffed by volunteers, and 100 per cent of the proceeds support local children and youth.
Rachel Olivero, board member with the May Court Club of Windsor, says these organizations must use the funding for services only.
"What we really want to be able to do is to provide the services to those non-profits that so do. So we put out a call for funding, and we asked people to apply to us, and one of our main concerns is that it serves children and youth right here in Windsor and Essex County, and none of the money can be used for capital costs, so it has to be directly for services."
She says a common theme through some of the organizations selected is a lack of funding for food provided through available programs.
"They don't have funding to provide food, and snacks, and lunch for the kids, so the kids have to bring a brown bag from home, and the reality right now is times are tough and some kids just don't have that access to that. So when you're sitting at lunch with a kid, someone opens a bag of food, someone doesn't have any food - we don't want any kid to feel less than, so we are providing the food through all of these different charities."
She adds that the thrift shop resells items that help make these donations possible.
"So we really updated the place, and we sell things like women's, men's, and children's fashion, there's jewelry, there's small household and kitchen items, and small appliances."
Olivero says they are always looking for volunteers to assist within the May Court Club Shoppe.
The 2025 recipients received their cheques during a ceremony Wednesday evening.
-with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides