‘Shop for a Cause’ at Cabrini of Westchester’s ‘Violets Gift Shop’

With more than 300 residents unable to go out and do their holiday shopping for loved ones, Cabrini Edlercare of Westchester is bringing holiday shopping to them.

“Violets Gift Shop,” located in Cabrini’s main lobby at 115 Broadway in Dobbs Ferry, recently transformed a typical gift shop into a price-friendly boutique. Now Cabrini patients, visitors, and local residents can find items they would not normally find in a gift shop.

“It use to be a typical gift shop,” Lorraine Horgan, Cabrini Eldercare Vice President of External Affairs, said. “Our residents can’t go out and do holiday shopping. So we wanted to give them a place to go and do that here. Violets gives a boutique feel without boutique prices.”

Violets, which is ran by Cabrini residents who volunteer, is typically open every day from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. And while the shop is primarily for patients and their visitors, all are welcomed to come by and do business.

“All proceeds go directly to benefit the elders we are so privileged to serve in our nursing home,” Horgan said. “We would love to spread the word so people can do some holiday shopping for a cause, knowing that the proceeds directly benefit the elders in our community.”

While patients and their visitors do most of Violets’ business, it doesn’t have to be that way, Horgan said.

“Anyone can come in and shop,” she said. “We have great prices on things like greeting cards, which are $1.50. Good luck finding that anywhere else. We’d love to have more of the community come in.”

Horgan added that Violets also has a good selection of jewelry, pocketbooks, and fun items like singing stuffed bears, along with its own custom lotion. All of the items come at a below market price – and go to helping older community members in enjoy their lives.

“In this economy, it’s nice to know your money goes to supporting local elders,” Horgan said.