SANDSTON, Va. -- For moms like Ricki Moretz, a little barn nestled behind a big building in Sandston, Virginia, serves as a huge blessing.
"I come here at least once a week," she said.
The mother of two said she first heard about the Blessings Barn, a place moms or dads can take whatever they need for free, from her sister when she needed a breast pump.
"My son he loves it, he knows like the Blessing Room and goes straight for the toys," she said.
The space stemmed from an idea Victoria Starr, a mother of three, had almost 12 years ago.
"I don't ask their situations; I just know that in life you're always given things that you didn't expect," Starr said. "In the end of 2010, I quit my job and took this leap of faith and started Mom 2 Mom in November of 2010."
Mom 2 Mom is a place where mothers can sell children's items they no longer use or buy gently used items for their children at a discounted price. Originally any items that could not be sold were donated to a non-profit.
"But then when COVID happened a lot of the nonprofits either shut down or couldn't accept donations, so I was really called to say, 'God, what am I supposed to do with this stuff?' I don't want to trash it and I know that it has a purpose," Starr said.
The lead to the creation of the Blessings Room.
"So I picked one room in the store and called it the Blessings Room, but it was a really small. It was like 7 by 8 feet, so it started there," she said.
Eventually the Blessings Room became too small for all of the donations and the Blessing Barn was born.
"I thought what can I do to be able to give more, so I purchased the shed," Starr said. "For Christmas my mom said to me, 'I want to buy you a new washer and dryer.' And I said, 'Thank you, I appreciate that. But I would rather you put that money towards the Blessings Barn.'"
She said she knew it was a resource the community could use but didn't realize just how many people it would help.
"I had no idea how popular it would be," Starr explained.
From clothes, to diapers, to toys and even breast pumps or cribs, the Blessings Barn is a space that truly lives up to its name.
"For me just hearing people say, 'This was life changing,'" Starr said. "Or, 'We really needed this today. You’ve helped bless a friend...' It’s really not me, it’s other moms that are giving to other moms," Starr said.
She said helping other parents is her life's passion and credits God for all the help she's able to give.
"Whether it's you or someone you know that’s in a bad season and just needs help right now, I think it’s important to meet that need. And we’re called to meet that need. We’re called to give back and give generously," she said.
Click here to find details on when The Blessings Barn is open, as well as how and where to donate.
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