For someone leaving an abusive relationship, the first steps toward a new start can be very basic: a safe place to sleep, clean clothes, and hygiene products. For 50 years, The Spring of Tampa Bay has worked to make sure survivors of domestic violence and their children have those things, along with the support to rebuild.
On the afternoon of September 2, 2026, five ReEmployAbility employees volunteered at The Spring’s Thrift Store and Donation Center in Tampa. Dulce Perez-Ramos, Lindsey Bressi, Valentina Moreno, Amber Toye, and Michelle Nihoul spent the afternoon sorting bins of donated clothing and getting it ready for the sales floor, where every sale helps fund The Spring’s services for survivors.
How The Spring of Tampa Bay Supports Domestic Violence Survivors
The Spring of Tampa Bay began sheltering survivors in Tampa in 1976. Its mission is to prevent domestic violence, protect victims, and promote change in lives, families, and communities.
That work takes many forms. The Spring runs a 24-hour crisis hotline, an emergency shelter, housing programs, outreach and counseling services, legal services, and Camp HOPE, a mentoring program for children. Its thrift store supports all of it: 100% of the store’s net proceeds go to services that help keep survivors and their children safe. Clients of The Spring can also shop designated areas of the store for clothing, hygiene products, houseware, and furniture.
ReEmployAbility and The Spring have a long-standing partnership. A few years ago, a group of employees helped The Spring’s Boutique move to its new location, and several team members had been looking for a chance to return. These volunteer efforts reflect ReEmployAbility’s ongoing commitment to community impact.
Why ReEmployAbility Employees Volunteer with The Spring of Tampa Bay
For Amber Toye, Client Service Coordinator Team Lead, this was her third time volunteering with The Spring. “I love who they are and what they do for women and children in the community who have been through awful domestic violence situations,” she said. “Getting to be a little part of giving back and helping them is so fulfilling.”
Lindsey Bressi, Nonprofit Network Coordinator, helped organize the afternoon and brought together colleagues from two different teams. “It was nice to spend an afternoon working at a nonprofit with colleagues I see every day but don’t always get to interact with,” she said.
Valentina Moreno, Client Service Coordinator, wanted to “step outside of my regular routine and contribute my time to something meaningful.” Dulce Perez-Ramos, Admin Team Lead, put it simply: “They do so much, and it is so gratifying to be able to support them in their cause.
How Volunteers Help The Spring of Tampa Bay Thrift Store Support Survivors
Before the work started, staff at the store gave the group a tour and an orientation on The Spring’s history, its mission, and the many ways it supports the people it serves. Lindsey appreciated that the staff took the time to share their “why” and to show how the afternoon’s work would help move that mission forward.
Then the team got to work in the sorting area. Volunteers went through bins of donated clothing piece by piece, deciding what could be sold and what could not. Items that passed went onto hangers and designated racks, ready to be moved to the sales floor of the thrift store and boutique.
There were no other volunteers at the store that day, so the team’s help went directly toward clearing the backlog. “Especially after receiving the tour and overview of the organization’s mission, I think it inspired us all to work harder and help process product from the sorting area and move it to where it would be available for purchase,” Lindsey said.
Amber noticed the volume right away. “They had so many clothes to go through, and I know they could use the help,” she said. “We had a lot of fun sorting the clothes together.”
Stories That Highlight The Spring of Tampa Bay’s Community Impact
During the visit, a staff member named Katy shared a story that stayed with Dulce. The Spring had recently received a call from an 8-year-old boy who had collected a large donation of hygiene items, which are among the things the people The Spring serves need most.
“This leads me to reflect on the idea that we can accomplish so much with very little, and that each one of us has something to share to help others,” Dulce said. “No matter our age, we can always make a positive impact on someone else’s life!”
The group was also struck to learn that The Spring is marking 50 years of service. “I think we were all taken aback,” Lindsey said. “We all felt a sense of gratitude that this organization is there to support survivors of domestic violence, but also a sense of sadness that an organization like this needs to exist.”
Amber shared a similar realization. “Understanding how many women are truly affected by domestic violence is more than expected, even today,” she said.
How The Spring’s Thrift Store Funds Services for Domestic Violence Survivors
Sorting clothes may seem far removed from emergency shelter or counseling, but at The Spring, the two are directly connected. Each item that reaches the sales floor becomes revenue for The Spring’s programs, including its emergency shelter, housing programs, outreach services, counseling services, and Camp HOPE.
“Every article of clothing carefully sorted and prepared for the sales floor, every secondhand book or houseware cleaned and tagged, all of those proceeds support The Spring’s programs and help keep domestic violence survivors safe,” Lindsey said.
The store staff thanked the group more than once. On a day with no other volunteers, the extra hands meant more donated clothing moved out of the sorting area and onto racks where shoppers, and clients of The Spring, could find it.
What Volunteers Learned About Supporting Nonprofits
For several volunteers, the biggest lesson was how much of a nonprofit’s work happens where the public never sees it.
“Sometimes we only see the final result, but volunteering showed me that small tasks and volunteers are all important parts of helping a nonprofit serve those in need,” Valentina said. “It gave me a greater appreciation for the work nonprofits do behind the scenes.”
Lindsey agreed. “It’s not always glamorous work, and more often than not, you don’t see firsthand how your efforts are impacting the greater community,” she said. “We were fortunate that their Director of Thrift Store Operations shared exactly how our efforts would benefit their clients. It made the work meaningful and allowed us to connect with their mission on another, deeper level.”
Amber encouraged future volunteers to keep that bigger picture in mind. “If you’re sorting donated clothes, it’s more than just someone’s used t-shirt,” she said. “This is an item that someone in need could really use.”
How to Volunteer at The Spring of Tampa Bay’s Thrift Store
Each of the volunteers who shared their reflections said they would recommend the experience. “It was a lot of fun to go with other coworkers, and the nonprofit is very well organized,” Dulce said. Her one practical tip for first timers: “Just bring your water.”
Valentina’s advice was to start small. “You don’t have to make a huge commitment,” she said. Even a few hours can make a huge difference!”
The Spring’s Thrift Store and Donation Center is located at 4415 W. Osborne Ave. in Tampa. Volunteer shifts are available Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM ET, and interested volunteers can reach the team at volunteer@thespring.org. The store also accepts donations of new and gently used items.
Thank you to the staff at The Spring of Tampa Bay for welcoming our team, sharing your mission, and congratulations on 50 years of service. And thank you to Dulce, Lindsey, Valentina, Amber, and Michelle for spending the afternoon helping get donations ready for the sales floor. As Amber put it, “I can’t wait to go back!”
To learn more about The Spring of Tampa Bay, visit thespring.org
If you or someone you know if experiencing domestic violence in the Tampa Bay area, The Spring’s 24-hour hotline is available at (813) 247-SAFE.