Espaço Vida Mais para o Espaço Vida Novo (More Life Space for the New Life Space)

One of the key goals for the Friends of Portugal nonprofit organization is to assist the Portuguese in specific projects that are positive and uplifting, and those that seek to address pressing needs for the Portuguese. Due to the global financial crisis of the past five years, Portugal has been especially hit hard and many middle class Portuguese have lost their jobs and struggle to make ends meet.

In the fall of 2011, I helped with bringing a group of my MBA students to Portugal, and several of them worked on a class project for a business plan for a used clothing and household items store in Massama, a large town in the Lisbon suburbs. They envisioned a project that could serve as an extension of the very successful clothing bazaars that are held in the town of Loures on a regular basis, distributing at low cost to needy people clothing donated by various churches in Germany to Portugal. These bazaars have been going on for some years, but to reach additional people an another town and people group was sought out to launch a new venture, with the assistance of Friends of Portugal but needed as well the critical local leadership and guidance of the Portuguese who would operate the site..

After examination of many different sites and consideration of various approaches and concepts for the project, the local leadership proposed to Friends of Portugal to use a building adjoining the existing  Espaço Vida  Novo congregation in Massama, which formerly housed a butcher ("talho") shop. The Massama congregation began to rent this area a few years ago, and it has been used for various meetings, storage and additional church needs. Over the past months, an entire team effort was undertaken, leading to the creation of Espaço Vida Mais  ("New Space") to serve as the vintage clothing site.

Near the front entrance with a sign announcing the opening for September 15, 2013

 Espaço Vida Mais is truly a team project, and required a large group of volunteers coming from North Fresno MB Church recently to assist in a major renovation of the adjoining church facility, which allowed the church to make better use of its existing space. Leaders within the Massama congregation stepped forth to work long hours to conceive, organize and design a site appropriate to the community needs. A project manager for  Espaço Vida Mais emerged, R, who along with her husband E have been inspirational, creative, disciplined and well-organized, providing the creative "spark" needed to launch a new venture. Critical financial support for new cabinets, clothing racks, furniture, dressing room and other items was provided by Friends of Portugal. A local shipping company provides free space for the trucks and trailers from Germany to unload and store the clothes awaiting distribution. It has been an authentic team effort!

Massama and Friends of Portugal leadership preparing for the grand opening

These are exactly the kinds of projects that Friends of Portugal wants to assist with. They are a practical manifestation of creating partnerships using the strengths and resources of various individuals and organizations, from the United States, Germany and Portugal, none of which could likely accomplish Espaço Vida Mais on their own. And the Friends of Portugal leadership is grateful for any support it receives to help in projects like this one.

Be watching for a blog update once the store opens in September! God bless you Espaço Vida Mais e Espaço Vida Novo! Parabens!