By RANDALL NEWSOME
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
A non-profit that has been on a mission to help people in need for the last three decades is still considered by some to be the best-kept secret in the city of Noblesville.
Many people may not know the name NobleCause Resale Shop, but citizens are familiar with the location and the mission that volunteers are carrying out inside the building on Greenfield Avenue. It’s a mission to help tackle what they believe is a staggering hunger problem in Hamilton County.
The shop sells “like-new” and gently used furniture, clothes, books, toys and more items for low prices.
The non-profit has been doing this for the last 30 years, using the majority of the shop’s earnings to fund a food pantry for residents and families who are struggling financially.
After decades of helping people, the non-profit along with Noblesville marketing agency BlueSky Creative decided it was time to rebrand the organization and give it a fresh new name that also symbolizes what the group is all about: Fulfilling a noble cause.
“It’s kind of more not-so-1930s as the ‘thrift store’ title,” shop manager Dee Ricciardi said.
Ricciardi has been involved with the work The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been doing in Hamilton County for more than 30 years. She spent more than 20 of those years as the part-time cashier for the shop and got hooked on helping people.
“St. Vincent started this process where he helped the poor, so we’re continuing his noble cause,” Ricciardi said. “We’re doing what his actions were about and we want more people to know about it. If they’re looking for a place to serve or to donate or to just shop, we’re one of those good spots. Everybody’s welcome.”
In 2019, the non-profit helped feed more than 63,000 people who were unemployed, underemployed and food-insecure. All of this is accomplished with most of the effort coming from volunteers.
“No one here has to be here,” Ricciardi said. “Everyone that comes here wants to. They want to help. They come every day on their own and this place is very successful because of it.”
NobleCause hopes to begin a new era with the new title with the same goal: To help neighbors in need. But with a new name, NobleCause hopes to gain more support and an opportunity to give even more people the support they need.