Some call it the greatest show on earth. We couldn’t agree more. For collectors of all types, a cornucopia for gathering new items is almost here. It turns out that one of the most unique fundraisers in Austin is celebrating its 49th year, a true milestone for the city and the organization: The Annual Settlement Home for Children Charity Garage & Estate Sale which takes place happens Weds, October 30 – Sunday, November 3 at the Palmer Events Center at 900 Barton Springs Road.
Aptly named the largest charity sale in Texas, The Settlement Home Charity Garage & Estate Sale is a year-long effort that culminates into several days of shopping. It’s one of our favorite events in the state of the year, in fact. Organized and led by members of The Settlement Club, the Garage & Estate Sale boasts an impressive and diverse inventory of merchandise, all donated by the community. More than 25,000 shoppers will browse for treasures and bargain-priced deals in our 21 well-organized departments. We learned that the funds raised do a tremendous amount of goodness for such a worthwhile charity.
We caught up with the 2024 Event Co-chairs Taylor Armstrong, Pam Hawkins and Ann Palmer, the personalities behind the sale, to learn about their point of why the sale is so important to the organization...and the community.
What initially drew you to support The 2024 Settlement Home Garage & Estate Sale, and
why is it meaningful to you?
Ann: My mother was a member of The Settlement Club, and some of my favorite
childhood memories are attending The Garage & Estate Sale. Having seen so many
through the years, it’s such an honor to be able to chair one.
Can you share a memorable moment from a past Settlement Home Garage & Estate Sale
you've been involved in?
Pam: A teacher from El Paso has come several years in a row and she shops the holiday
department to find gifts her students can purchase as a fundraiser for their computer lab.
Ann: The first time I experienced the box sale was eye-opening. I always thought people
were exaggerating until I witnessed the doors opening one year, and I thought it was
thundering when it was the rush of shoppers coming in and heading toward their
favorite departments.
Taylor: I had the opportunity to volunteer for The Sale in college, and while sorting in the
clothing department one of my friends found a Patagonia jacket for less than $20, which
was striking gold in college.
As co-chairs, what unique strengths or skills do each of you bring to the organization of
this Garage Sale?
Taylor’s tech savviness and ability to create processes to get things done efficiently have
helped save time where possible. Ann’s public speaking has helped publicize information
to our Settlement Club membership in various settings and we look forward to hearing
her speak at The Sale. Pam’s patience and communication with various community
members have allowed us to learn from folks with different ideas and perspectives about
The Sale.
All three of us have been really open to getting together and consulting each other as we
work on items for this event. This is a strength as we are considering various perspectives
and making the best decisions we can come up with.
How has your background or career influenced your approach to organizing charitable
events like this one?
Ann’s career post-law school has primarily focused on child welfare communication for
the state and nonprofits. She has been able to use these skills to think through how to pull
off this event. Pam’s background working for child protective services influenced her
desire to work on this event since she has seen where these children have been and
experienced in their past.
What do you hope attendees will take away from participating in this year’s Sale?
We hope they have fun, find unique treasures and learn more about the amazing work that
is done at The Settlement Home.
What challenges have you faced while preparing for this event, and how have you
overcome them as a team?
There are a million moving pieces that go into making this event possible. We have
overcome this with the teamwork that we developed not only within ourselves as chairs
but with the greater team including Settlement Club members and community volunteers.
Describe a typical day leading up to The Sale...what does your role involve during this
busy period?
There is no typical day. Every day brings new and unique challenges and opportunities.
We are finalizing the details at this point but being flexible and open to solutions has been
the focus for the busy days.
Beyond fundraising, how do you see an event like this impacting the organization?
It brings awareness to the hard work that The Settlement Home does for the children in
their care. This event is also a “green” event where all the merchandise is donated by
members of the community and gets a second home versus going to waste.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in organizing a charitable event like The Settlement Home Garage & Estate Sale for the first time?
Be open and flexible to solutions and willing to incorporate new ideas. Learn from what
people have done before you to build off and add your own touch or improvements. We
have been in a process of continual improvement for 49 years with The Garage & Estate
Sale.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for the future of the Garage & Estate
Sale and the cause it supports?
Like The Sale, we would like The Home to adapt and grow by being open to the
changing needs of the child welfare system. We look forward to seeing this event
grow over time and continue being an Austin staple.
Here are more details:
Wednesday, October 30
Preview Party - 7-10 p.m. | $125
CLOSED ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31
Friday, November 1
Early Bird Shopping - 9-10 a.m. | $30 *limited tickets!*
General Shopping - 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | $20
Saturday, November 2
Early Bird Shopping - 9-10 a.m. | $15 *limited tickets!*
General Shopping - 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | FREE
Sunday, November 3
General Shopping - 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | FREE
Box Sale - 3-5 p.m. | Purchase a box at the event for $10 and fill it with items–whatever fits, you keep! (one box size available)
All proceeds from the Charity Garage & Estate Sale go to The Settlement Home for Children, an Austin non-profit that cares for children with histories of severe trauma, abuse and neglect. Programs include a residential treatment center, group home program, transitional living program and foster and adoption program for individuals with histories of severe trauma, abuse and neglect. The Settlement Home provides housing, food, schooling, therapy and hope to children who are trying to heal from the pain of abuse and neglect. More information is available at http://www.settlementhome.org