Shoppers from all walks of life have found that a trip to downtown Naperville can be made complete with a visit to Little Friends’ Serendipity Resale Shop, located in the heart of downtown Naperville on W. Jefferson Avenue. Opened in 1971, this unique resale business provides an eclectic selection of pre-owned clothing, jewelry, accessories, household items and collectibles – with 100 percent of the proceeds directly benefiting the programs and services of Little Friends.
In addition to the wide variety of ever-changing merchandise, another memorable aspect of Serendipity is its staff: volunteers who generously donate their time to help. The shop also provides work experience for students that are involved with Little Friends. In total, more than 10,000 hours are donated every single year!
While volunteers play an important role in operating the store, the items sold would not be there if it were not for the generosity of those in our community. Whether items are brought directly to the store or dropped off at our administrative offices (140 N. Wright Street in Naperville), we are incredibly grateful for the donations and thank all of our neighbors for their overwhelming kindness.
Since the inception of Serendipity 46 years ago, approximately $1.5 million in proceeds have gone towards supporting the needs of those affected by autism or other developmental disability. We are so appreciative of the support everyone has provided over the years and want everyone to know that your support matters and helps us make a huge difference in our community – not only to the clients we support, but also to their families, friends and neighbors as well.
We look forward to seeing you at Serendipity during your next visit to downtown Naperville – whether it be as a customer, a donor or a volunteer – and we look forward to continuing our mission of empowering children, adults and families with special challenges to live, learn, work and thrive in our community.
