Find Your Piece Shop Benefits People With Disabilities

When you walk into Find Your Piece Consignment Shop, you’ll find an assortment of children’s books, clothes, shoes, women’s purses and other knick-knacks.

But when you shop at the consignment store, you’re not just supporting a local business or finding a good deal—you’re helping benefit individuals with autism and other special needs.

Owner Leah Deverick opened the non-profit in June.

After nine years of working at The Center For Autism Education, in O’Fallon, Leah said it was a trip to Boone Center, Inc. (BCI) last year that inspired her to open her shop.

According to the BCI website, the St. Peters organization was founded in the 1950s by Jane Crider and Margaret Holmes. The women thought the community needed a way to serve people with disabilities and help them lead productive lives and opportunities to use their skills.

What began as a small candle making shop, grew into the leading packing industry in the state, employing more than 200 people with disabilities today.

The entire time Leah worked at The Center for Autism, she said she looked for opportunities for students to work and participate.

She said she thought, if these women could provide this opportunity to benefit people with disabilities—then she could try too.

“As far as consignment shop, I always thought about opening one,” she said.  “I go to garage sales a lot and I’m a deal finder.”

Find Your Piece Consignment Shop opened on June 1, in Crossroads Plaza.

The non-profit’s mission is: to provide job training and financial support to The Center for Autism Education, in O'Fallon, MO.

Over the summer, students from the center came in twice a day to help Leah hang clothes, place items on shelves and sweep.

Leah said her ultimate dream, many years down the road, would be to have a full-time adult work program.  

“I’m gearing my long term goal towards adults, because a lot of adults can go to programs until they’re 21, but when 21 hits, they don’t have anything to do,” she said. “There are adult programs out there for individuals, but as far as I know, most of them, if the person has any behaviors, they’re out.”

Leah said she wants Find Your Piece to be an option for individuals with severe behaviors to be apart of the community.

“I’m trying to open some place where they do have a shot to do something,” she said.

In addition to job training for people with autism and other disabilities, according to its 501(c)3, as soon as Find Your Piece is profitable, it will donate 100 percent of its proceeds to benefit autism education.  

Leah said the first two months of business have been a struggle, but she is optimistic.

“I’ve heard that consignment shops usually take awhile to get going, but they do fairly well,” she said.

Find Your Piece Consignment Shop is located at 58 Crossroads Plaza at 2900 Highway K, in between and .

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

This Missouri Sales Tax Holiday weekend, the shop is offering 50 percent off of shorts and select baby clothes for $1.

You can learn more about Find Your Piece, by checking out the shop website or liking them on Facebook.