MinimalisaNYC and DIVAS for Social Justice hosted a Holiday Gift Shoppe at the Garden of Resilience in Springfield Gardens, Queens. The business and the organization have partnered together to provide a monthly clothing giveaway at the Garden of Resilience and the Holiday Gift Shoppe was the culminating event of the year. In 2024, the environmental initiative hosted seven clothing giveaways at Garden of Resilience. Lisa Garcia is the founder of MinimalisaNYC. Garcia leads a decluttering business, helping her clients organize their lives and let go of items that are not being used. She in turn takes those items and donates them to charities and shelters. Garcia had an excess of items and Clarisa James, Executive Director of DIVAS for Social Justice offered to provide space to host giveaways. DIVAS for Social Justice is the lead steward of Garden of Resilience.Â
Garden of Resilience was founded by Clarisa James and Melva Miller in 2020. Students that participated in DIVAS’ STEAM for Social Change program are responsible for taking the abandoned land in Springfield Gardens and turning it into a community garden as a social action project. Students collected needed signatures and wrote opinion editorials that James was able to use as the catalyst to move the community garden forward with the support of elected officials and the community board.
As the signatories of the Greenthumb contract Miller and James made the collective decision to make all the garden beds communal and give all vegetables away to the community for free to address food insecurity. Garcia’s philanthropic goal of giving away new and gently used items from her clients aligned with the mission of the garden. Together the partners have been able to launch an environmental initiative that addresses food insecurity and landfill reduction waste simultaneously. Landfill waste and food insecurity are disparities that are disproportionately faced in communities of color and the initiative proactively providing a solution and having an impact on Southeast Queens.
In order to create a holiday vision, Camille Murray of Cammie’s Cupcakes volunteered and provided decorations to create a winter wonderland. Ms. Murray also provided the special hot chocolate that was available for patrons along with a food donation from Stop & Shop. The event was a success due to the dedicated volunteers at The Holiday Gift Shoppe:
Marcey Bee
Dane Chong
Liza Colon
Taylor Garcia -Lawson
Tiffany Garcia- Lawson
Camille Murray
Michael Paige
Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers visited the Holiday Gift Shoppe and Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson was represented by Liza Colon. MinimalisaNYC and DIVAS for Social Justice would like to extend the environmental initiative and plan to host the giveaways starting May 2025.
