Victoria's Women in Need Community Cooperative is a non-profit community organization which believes women deserve equal opportunities to achieve happy, healthy and sustainable lives. WIN is composted of five retail shops that collect and resale quality clothes, items, and furniture at affordable prices within the community.

The first store opened 27 years ago. Since we've opened WIN we have expanded our locations and moved out our Donation Center and we've opened up a furniture store out back. “ In the summer now we will have all the doors open in our back garage and people can see to the shop so people will just be walking by with their dogs and just pop in and that how many discover WIN for the first time that way.”

“ I'm Nicole, and I've been with WIN for the last nine years and involved in the North Park community for about the same amount of time. About 9 years ago I was walking around looking for a volunteer opportunity. When I saw that WIN was looking for volunteers and I didn't know much about them. So I just walked in and gave them my resume and started as a volunteer the next week. From there I've really just grown through the organization, all the way from a part-time cashier to a store manager at the Cook Street location”.

“I would like to say that Nicole [WIN store manager], is a bit of a superhero, or at least, I think she brings a really important grounding and friendly presence to the store and neighbourhood. I hear from customers all the time that Nicole and the other staff make the store a wonderful place to shop.”

(Personal Interviews with Jasmine and Nicole on March 11, 2020)