From left, Kendall Hancox, William Gillespie and Miles Bowman take a break from stocking the shelves at the No Cost to Shop store at the Seneca Valley High School. They are just a few of the many volunteers who helped to get the store started. The store is always in need of new and gently used items, including hairbrushes, hangers, men's clothing, shoes and new hygiene products. These may be placed in a bin near the high school office.

JACKSON TWP — Numerous Seneca Valley High School staff members and students have joined forces to launch the Nov. 1 opening of the No Cost to Shop store.

Located in the senior high school, the store for students in grades seven to 12 who need clothing, food or other items and are welcome to set up a private time to shop and take what they need — no lines, no checkout.

Last year, Michelle Eppinger, a Seneca Valley High School special education job coach paraprofessional, went to senior high school administrators with concerns that some students had additional needs that were not being met due to the pandemic.

From there, her vision of a “brick-and-mortar” store came together and turned this vision into a reality.

Eppinger, along with Seneca Valley job coaches, teachers, maintenance workers and various students have been hard at work collecting donations, as well as sorting, folding and categorizing various hygiene items.

They were buoyed in June when the Seneca Valley Foundation donated $3,000 to assist with the store's needs, specifically with store fixtures, furniture, racks and décor.

To expand the store and evolve the program even more, Seneca Valley Transition Planning, Career and Vocational Education Coordinator Jess Pyle involved Community Based Vocational Training (CBVT) and Vocational Readiness students and their job coaches. These students currently run the store by taking inventory, checking donation boxes, doing laundry and gaining real work experience.

“It is great to see the collaboration of all students working together towards one common goal,” said Pyle. “The students in Vocational Readiness and CBVT are gaining employability skills that they can transfer into the community, while providing students in need essential daily living items. Overall, many students are benefiting from No Cost to Shop. It is a positive outcome for everyone involved.”

The last detail was ensuring shoppers took part in an authentic retail experience. Students from Jason Woolslare's art classes designed and painted a screen to add artistic flair to the space and teacher Bruce Clark made and donated a bench for students to use when trying on shoes.

The No Cost to Shop store is always looking for donations of new and gently used items, including hairbrushes, hangers, men's clothing, shoes and new hygiene products. There is a bin located in the entrance of the senior high school near the main office.