Nestled in the heart of Aptos, “Caroline’s Non Profit Thrift Shop” is more than a store, it is a space for hope, healing, and happiness. What started as a mother’s tribute to her daughter blossomed into a community that impacts lives in Santa Cruz County and beyond.
The shop was inspired by Caroline, Christy Licker’s daughter who passed away at the young age of sixteen. Three and a half years after her passing, Christy landed on an idea to navigate healing and honor the life of Caroline. “I wanted to celebrate all the things she was and all the things I learned from her,” Christy shares. That idea became Caroline’s Non Profit Thrift Shop, a volunteer-focused thrift shop where every dollar raised supports local non-profit organizations with programs and services for children and families.
Christy never imagined the impact and community ties that would bloom at Caroline’s. The shop opened in 2011 with one location and seven volunteers. After only six months, the shop donated $40,000 to local non-profits. To date, Caroline’s has donated $4,508,000, expanded to two locations, and built an incredible team of over 80 volunteers.
Funds raised by the thrift shop have supported organizations that improve the quality of life for children facing health challenges, provide support for youth in foster care and children experiencing food insecurity, and offer equitable access to resources and extracurricular activities.
This direct impact is deeply personal for Christy. She recalls a single mother whose child with disabilities attended a one-week summer camp funded by one of Caroline’s partner non-profits. “She told me, ‘I haven’t had a week to myself in over ten years. Now I’m going to the dentist and running errands.’ That’s the kind of difference this support means to families.”
Caroline’s is powered by its volunteers. The dynamic group consists of all ages, from junior high students to retirees and everyone in between. They sort donations, repair and refurbish items, create product displays, and greet customers with warmth and joy. “It’s a community within a community,” says Christy. “They rally around each other for birthdays, holidays, or if someone is going through a hard time.”
If you have never been to Caroline’s, you are in for a treat. Christy describes the shop as a quirky boutique with a one-of-a-kind charm. It has carefully curated clothes, accessories, furniture, art, crystal, and more. Some of the handmade goods are specially crafted for the shop by seamstresses, artists, and crafters, adding to Caroline’s unique charm. Music and laughter fill the air and customers often say, “This is my happy place.”
People can support Caroline’s by donating gently used items, volunteering their time, following them on Facebook (@carolinesnonprofitthriftshop) and Instagram (@carolines_nonprofit), and shopping the store at 8047 Soquel Drive in Aptos. Every purchase has a purpose, fueling Caroline’s mission to support local non-profits to ease their burdens of fundraising. Once a year, the shop hosts a Gifting Reception where non-profits receive a check ranging from $2,500 to $30,000. The reception is a day of empowerment and motivation, and a time to celebrate the community’s commitment to making a difference.
“If Caroline could experience the shop today,” Christy says, “she would love it. She loved bright, happy things. She loved people.”
Caroline’s Non Profit Thrift Shop has become a catalyst for growth and hope, not just for the local organizations it funds, but for the people it brings together. Caroline’s is a beautiful reminder that heart, generosity, and community can change lives —one thrifted item at a time.
Comcast is proud to sponsor this column, which features the great work of non-profit groups supporting the Santa Cruz community.
