Emily Groves is starting from the bottom up. She owns From Me To You Resale Boutique at 435 SW Evergreen Ave., which opened in late October, and she has a plan to establish a local nonprofit focused on community outreach and services for at-risk youth.

“Everybody needs a helping hand once in awhile, and I want to be able to offer that,” Groves said.

Groves hopes the store, which is a mix between a thrift store and handmade boutique, will become a funding source for the nonprofit. Groves has already applied for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit standing, she said.

She hopes to have it finalized within the next six months, after which she said she plans to expand the store and available services.

Groves plans to offer community outreach services from her current location, which has a separate room in the back where donations are stored. She plans to open another location for a Youth At Risk Ranch, for which she is currently working to buy property.

Some of the community outreach services she plans to offer include clothing for job interviews, job preparation, general clothes, food, sleeping bags, toiletries and household supplies. The Youth At Risk Ranch will provide support and services in a multilevel structure for local at-risk youth.

“I want to do my part,” Groves said. “Everyone should put into their community. I love life and doing what I can for others, and I want to be a good example for my kids.”

Groves said even though Redmond has many community outreach programs, it still has people in need. She attributed this to Redmond’s unique economy, where most people are able to make enough to be ineligible for federal aid but are still in need of daily essentials.

“It takes everyone to support a community; not just one person can do it,” Groves said.

The boutique offers an array of items from children’s clothing to upcycled furniture, with a free-for-the-community section as well. There are currently four artisans who display handmade goods at the store: a photographer, an artist who uses recycled cans, and two others who use reused wood for furniture and art.

Groves has been working in retail since she was 14 and has a particular liking for upcycled and recycled wares. She said the antique and thrift community in Redmond has been receptive and that her neighbor, Beyond the Ranch Antiques, has been supportive. They often refer customers to each other when they are unable to provide a specific need.

“It’s kind of like a treasure hunt when you come in, I have a little bit of everything,” Groves said.

Groves is the only employee and is always looking for volunteers. She also accepts donations, which she personally inspects before selling. Additional artisan displays are a possibility, but Groves would need to speak to the artist.

Groves has lived in Central Oregon most of her life, having moved in and out a few times. She calls Redmond home, and combined with her passion to help people, she plans to offer as much aid to the community as she can.

“This is the community I want to support,” Groves said. “Redmond is where I live; this is where I call home. And it’s the community I want to help.”

— Reporter, 541-548-2185, cbrown@redmondspokesman.com