Great Bargains for a Great Cause

Supporting Lydia Place families since 1989

Wise Buys started in 1967 originally with the YWCA of Whatcom to raise money for the programs they ran. In 1989, it was taken over by Lydia Place and helped pay for the first mortgage on Lydia Place’s first property. Wise Buys is almost completely run by volunteers, with around 60 helping on a weekly basis.

The mission of Wise Buys is to process and sell community donations in a respectful, sustainable, and usable manner to benefit our clients and the greater community, provide job training and educational opportunities, as well as increase awareness of the faces and causes of homelessness.

Our Wise Buys Volunteers…

• Increase awareness of the work Lydia Place is doing to maintain support in our community.
• Provide clothing and household items for Lydia Place Clients.
• Provide a safe, supportive and diverse space for job training and educational opportunities.
• Build stewards of the community and planet by promoting re-use, recycling and diverting as much as possible from landfills.

If you want to volunteer at Wise Buys, we can personalize your volunteering experience. If you love working with a diverse group of individuals to problem solve and build community, reach out to us by submitting an online application via Lydia Place’s volunteer page.