At first glance, New Caney New Horizons might appear to be a typical resale shop, but it’s actually offering much more.
New Horizons provides transitional services to young adults with special needs ages 16 and older, including workplace training, life skills development and employment opportunities, said Executive Director Darbie Lindsey.
“We are a sheltered workshop that offers pre-vocational training,” Lindsey said. “Our patrons are our individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and those patrons are here learning work skills.”
A closer look
Lindsey said the patrons take on a number of tasks at the resale shop, including pricing, stock rotation, customer service and handling the donations that come in through the shop.
Additionally, Lindsey noted the patrons are able to develop their workplace behavioral skills by interacting with the customers.
“We work on those workplace appropriate social skills, like ‘How do you talk to your friend vs. a customer vs. your supervisor?'” Lindsey said. “It's a multi-faceted approach to help our guys be as successful and as independent as possible, whether it be at home, out in the community, or in another employment role.”
Lindsey said patrons also have the opportunity to earn wages through the nonprofit’s rag-cutting program, which repurposes unsellable cloth and clothing into rags.
“We work with the Department of Labor [through an initiative] that allows us to pay what's called a 'training wage,' which is to say that it is equal across the board per item completed correctly,” Lindsey said. “If I cut 100 rags for $1 a piece, I've earned $100. If Sally cuts 50 rags in the same time, her rate was still $1 a rag.”
In addition to workplace training and opportunities to earn cash, Lindsey said New Horizons also offers life skills development to help patrons gain increased independence at home.
Lindsey said the nonprofit provides training for several aspects of daily life, including doing laundry, dishwashing, cleaning restrooms, sweeping and other household tasks.
Get involved
While the nonprofit is largely funded through proceeds taken in from the resale shop, Lindsey said monetary donations can still be made through New Horizons’ website.
Additionally, Lindsey said the resale shop accepts items through donations, including furniture, most household items, kitchen appliances, books, movies, decorations, clothing and toys.
However, she noted some items won’t be accepted, including pianos or organs, household chemicals, mattresses and boxsprings, encyclopedia sets and tube televisions.
Why it matters
Reflecting on her time spent at New Horizons, Lindsey said the most rewarding aspect of the job is watching patrons develop and grow.
“It’s just good for the soul,” Lindsey said. “You feel good knowing you’ve done something so important.”
