GALT, CA (MPG) - In the heart of Old Town Galt, nonprofit organization L’Chayim has spent the past 20 years helping fill gaps in community support through volunteer-driven initiatives and handmade goods.

Founded in 2005 by Jeanne Hopkins and Gloria Stemler in memory of their mothers, who both passed from cancer, L’Chayim began with small donations collected from coins and recycling. Its mission is to foster a spirit of “hospitality with dignity and love,” rooted in the basic human need for acceptance and connection.

The name L’Chayim, a Hebrew toast meaning “to life,” reflects the organization’s purpose: to celebrate life by giving back to the community.

President Gale Webber said the nonprofit relies entirely on volunteers and community support.

“Everything in here is handmade; the fabric that’s in here is donated,” Webber said. “We have a core group that works Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then we have other people that come in either Tuesday or Thursday.”

Located on Fourth Street, the boutique sells handmade items including quilts, bucket hats, microwavable bowl cozies, dog scarves, eyeglass cases, book covers and towels, among other one-of-a-kind merchandise. Customers can also purchase fabric for $5 per yard.

 

Customers can purchase fabric for $5 per yard at the L’Chayim of Galt boutique located at 400 Fourth St.

Proceeds support local schools, sports teams and student athletes, agencies and unhoused individuals. A small portion is used for operational costs.

Each month, L’Chayim donates to groups such as the Galt Teen Center, United Methodist Church Food Pantry, Catholic Youth Association, LDS Church Afghan and Ukraine Refugees, BSA Troop and Crew 1119, Marin O. Lawrence Library, Galt 4-H and the Galt Lions Club.

In-kind donations include pillowcases for Shriner’s Children’s Hospital and Cosumnes Fire Department and Galt Police Toy Drive; bibs for Rancho Seco Care Home; receiving blankets for Sutter Children’s Hospital NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit); tote bags for Head Start; and trick-or-treat bags for L’Chayim’s annual Halloween event.

“We are now partnering with Shriners. We are committed to 50 to 100 pillowcases for them. We’re taking 100 pillowcases to Rancho Seco Care Home and we also make bibs for them for helping feed the residents,” Webber said.

“We’ve sponsored football players whose families just can’t come up with those $400. We’ve sponsored part of the livestock area at the state fair as well,” she added.

 

Located on Fourth Street, the boutique sells handmade items including quilts, bucket hats, microwavable bowl cozies, dog scarves, eyeglass cases, book covers and towels.

“Say somebody had a house fire or something and you need clothes, they can call and make an appointment, and we have them come in and shop for clothes,” said Webber. “We have hats that we provide to Fairsite School, and we give them to the police department so they could hand them out to the homeless during the wintertime.”

“Basically, we’re always looking for people to ask us for help,” she said.

L’Chayim also supports McCaffrey Middle School’s Maker Space class, offering discounted fabric to its students and teacher, as well as to Galt 4-H and a women’s group in Lodi. Volunteers create items for city departments such as neck coolers for Parks and Recreation workers and aprons for Galt Police Department to wear during National Night Out on Aug. 5.

Sidewalk sales held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays feature clothing, shoes, phone accessories, books and other donated items (except furniture), starting at $1. The sale promotes sustainability while raising funds for L’Chayim’s causes.

Volunteer Adell Wyckoff, who has worked the sidewalk sale since December 2018, said the effort helps more than just the community.

 

L’Chayim of Galt’s twice-a-week sidewalk sale, located at 400 Fourth St., promotes sustainability while raising funds for local causes.

“The reason why we want to make money is for the community so we can give bigger, you know, whoever needs something in the community, and we want to keep our prices low so our clientele can afford it,” Wyckoff said. “I was seeing a therapist and he said part of you is dying at home because I was waiting at home waiting for my husband to retire. So this is like a gift from God for me … I love the town of Galt and the people; it’s just great.”

The nonprofit organization also has hygiene kits available for individuals who might be experiencing hardship and require some basic self-care items.

“In that situation, we have hygiene bags and we have clothes that we’ve put aside and we just tell them to go out and pick out some clothes,” Wyckoff said.

L’Chayim’s fabric scraps go through multiple stages of reuse, with even the smallest remnants donated to a resident who fills dog beds with leftover fabric to give to the local animal rescue shelter.

Recent projects include sponsoring a free pool day for youth at Gora Aquatic Center on July 26 and supporting a student quilt showcase at the California State Fair.

 

Sidewalk sales held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays feature clothing, shoes, phone accessories, books and other donated items (except furniture), starting at $1.

“Everything is made with love,” Webber said. “This is therapy for a lot of us, sewing and actually making stuff, creating and giving back out to the community.”

L’Chayim welcomes new volunteers and is flexible with scheduling. For more information, call 209-744-1143 or visit the boutique at 400 Fourth St., Suite 160. Donations can be made online at lchayimofgalt.net.

The boutique is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays. It is also open the first three Saturdays of every month.

 

In the heart of Old Town Galt, the nonprofit L’Chayim organization has spent the past 20 years helping to fill gaps in community support through volunteer-driven initiatives and handmade goods.