The idea of Blue Butterfly Thrift Store started in 2020 while COVID-19 was affecting many people. Christian Family Solutions experienced a high demand of people in need of mental health services. The need to hire more counselors and expand the programs to other areas in Wisconsin grew.

Alpha Resource Center was also affected, but in a different way. Because everything was shut down, the ARC was forced to cancel all their fundraising events that support the free pregnancy crisis services. This led to the director of ARC and the CEO of Christian Family Solutions to join their ministry efforts into opening a thrift store that could support both organizations.

In October 2020 a location was found and we began our lease shortly after. In part of God’s plan and timing, a large thrift store was permanently closing around this time. They partnered with Blue Butterfly Thrift store and graciously donated many of their fixtures and inventory to the store to help get us started. Volunteers spent weekends moving items from Milwaukee to Oconomowoc. In November we were finally ready to start the process of setting up the store.

We were incredibly blessed to have such amazing volunteers who generously donated their time and energy to help get our thrift store open. From sorting and organizing donations to cleaning, setting up displays, and spreading the word in the community, their dedication made all the difference. Many of them worked long hours behind the scenes, tackling every challenge with positivity and teamwork. Their commitment and enthusiasm not only helped us open our doors successfully, but also built a strong foundation of giving back to our community, which is Blue Butterfly Thrift Store’s mission.