Although Lizzylu Gifts sells a unique assortment of items for many occasions, owner Gene Attal said he refers to the establishment as “a gift shop with a mission.”

The store is unique because it operates with the help of volunteers who wait on customers, he said. Instead of hiring employees for pay, he said the business is able to donate the money saved on operating costs to a charity.

Quarterly, the Lizzylu volunteers donate a percentage of sales from the shop to a charity of their choosing. Throughout March the store is donating these proceeds to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, a grass- roots organization that focuses on mental health advocacy.

Volunteers staff the Westlake store n four-hour work shifts.[/caption]

“Charities can nominate themselves on the [store's] website,” Attal said. “I leave it entirely up to the volunteers to circulate and vote for which charity they want to give.”

Volunteers from all over Austin help at the store, he said.

“I am retired, and it’s fun to meet a lot of really nice people at the shop and have something to do that goes back to charity,” volunteer Barbara Bittner said.

Attal has a 35-year career of working in the field of charitable giving, including serving as president of the Seton Foundation, a nonprofit organization associated with the Seton Healthcare Family. In this position, Attal said he was responsible for all of the group’s fundraising activities. He also managed Seton-affiliated Sweet Charity gift store for 14 years.

Attal, who opened Lizzylu Gifts in Westlake in May, said he has lived in the area since his grown son was in kindergarten.

Lizzylu Gifts is named after Attal's three grandchildren—Lilly, Izzy and Gabby Lu. He said he enjoyed a 35-year career in the field of charitable giving before opening the Westlake store in May.[/caption]

Lizzylu was named after Attal’s three granddaughters—Lilly, Izzy and Gabby Lu, he said. Attal travels around the country to find his store's items, from baby onesies to serving bowls inscribed with “Just in Queso” and “Nacho Ordinary Salsa.” The store also features book signings and fundraisers.

“Now I’m able to do retail and still promote volunteerism and giving,” Attal said. “I’ve spent my whole career around fundraising, and I know if a lot of people do just a little, you can make a big difference.”