NonProfit Lego Resale Store Building Hudson Valley Customer Base

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — A Lego resale store opened by a regional nonprofit dedicated to the independence of people with special needs has grown in its first six months, and the store's managers have a schedule of public events coming up to draw more customers.

"It’s still a work in progress but we’ve made a lot of headway in terms of getting our people employed and getting our name out there," Jawonio CEO Randi Rios-Castro told Patch.

Coming up: A costume party and "spooky car race" event for Halloween.

• WHEN: Noon Oct. 28
• WHO: Anybody!
• WHERE: Brick It Again, at the Lake Ridge Plaza Shopping Center in Valley Cottage

Jawonio’s mission is to provide lifelong services to support people with developmental disabilities, mental health challenges and chronic medical needs. It serves thousands of children and adults a year, mostly on its campus in New City, and also at a satellite location in Yonkers.

Getting the word out about Brick It Again is key, Rios-Castro said, both to collect donations of Legos and to inform Lego lovers of special items as they come in.

"We’re getting people from an hour and a half away, the real Lego enthusiasts," she said.

One mission for the store is provide employment opportunities, from sorting, washing and packaging Legos as they come in, stocking shelves, and day-to-day customer service responsibilities.

So far, they've employed eight of their clients, had lots of volunteers, such as student interns from St. Thomas Aquinas College, and brought in groups from their pre-vocational programs, which get people ready to work.

Another part of the store's mission is to be wholly integrated into the community.

"We have a lot of people who come into the store. Some are kids that want to play at the tables. Some are coming in for birthday parties," she said. "There’s been a lot of really good community involvement and partnerships."

The store is also promoting traffic and sales through special events, such as the "build your own car and race it" event held Sunday. In addition to the Halloween costume party, they are planning Legos with Santa in December.

Legos from the store provide a double benefit at the holidays, she pointed out: get your presents and support a valuable part of your community.

Brick It Again hours are 7 days a week 10am-7pm. Online shipping is available too.

To open the store, Jawonio received a grant of $300,000 dollars from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation.

After that, the store needs to be self-sustaining or we need to find other funding," she said. "We’re doing well but we’re not quite there yet. So come in! Schedule that birthday party!"

SEE: 'Lifesaving' Nonprofit To Open Lego Resale Store