New Tusker Shop Strengthens Community Bonds

Where there’s a need, there’s a way to help. 

Family Liaison for Somers Central School District, Ms. Raisha Hernandez noticed there was a need in the community while working with local families, not just in Somers Schools, but also in the greater Somers community.

“I volunteer at the community center in Katonah, and they also have a boutique that families can visit,” Ms. Hernandez said. “I realized we don’t have a similar boutique in Somers. Transportation is a problem for families getting to Katonah, but having a boutique here makes it easier for families who need to access it.”

The Tusker Shop is a place where school families, as well as residents of the Somers community, can come to get the things they need when they need them. Sometimes, those needs are weather-appropriate clothing if a family has moved into the area from a different climate. Other times, it might be toys, books, or children’s items to help ease the financial challenges that increase during holidays and birthdays. Necessary household items, personal care supplies, books, and school supplies can also be found in the Tusker Shop.

“It’s all based on donations. Most of the items are coming from friends and family members of the schools,” Ms. Hernandez said. “Some of the items we get are brand new, still packaged items. Others are gently used.”

Community members are welcome to visit the Tusker Shop on the first Saturday of every month to see if what they need is in stock. The shop is in Somers Middle School from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Visitors should enter the building through the side entrance near the middle school parking lot.

The first Tusker Shop opening in November hosted approximately a dozen people from the community. During the December and January shop days, visiting community members more than doubled as word of mouth helped to spread the news about this new boutique as a resource for people in need. The next Tusker Shop will be open on February 1, 2025, weather permitting, and attendance is expected to continue to grow.

“The families who came were so grateful. They filled up their bags with as many items as they needed,” said Ms. Hernandez. “I gave a little girl a bag and told her she could fill it with anything she wanted. She asked why everything was free. I told her it was because today was her special day to shop. She was thrilled to fill her bag.”

As donations come in, Ms. Hernandez itemizes, organizes, and stores everything until the next monthly pop-up shop. During the first few months of school, the storage space has changed dramatically as donations continue to pour in as news of the boutique spreads, making more items available to those who need them. Anyone interested in donating items or who would like more information about attending the Tusker Shop can contact Ms. Hernandez at rhernandez@somersschools.org or 845-260-8502.