Thrift Store Saints - by Jane Knuth (Paperback)

About the Book

A collection of true stories based on Knuth's experiences at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in the inner city of Kalamazoo, Michigan, opens to reveal the author as a reluctant new volunteer at the store, sharing that her middle-class, suburban, church-going background has not prepared her well for this kind of work. By the end of the book, she has undergone a transformation of sorts, and will never view the poor in the same way again.

Book Synopsis

First place winner for "Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith" from the Catholic Press Association!

Thrift Store Saints is a collection of true stories based on Jane Knuth's experiences serving the poor at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in the inner city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. At the outset of the book, Knuth is a reluctant new volunteer at the store, sharing that her middle-class, suburban, church-going background has not prepared her well for this kind of work. By the end of the book, Knuth has undergone a transformation of sorts, and neither she nor we can ever view the poor in the same way again.

Knuth's transformation is rooted in the prevailing message of Thrift Store Saints: When we serve the poor, they end up helping us as much as we help them. Throughout the book we are introduced to new "saints," as Knuth thoughtfully, at times humorously, describes how her encounters with the poorest people led her to the greatest riches of God's grace.

Thrift Store Saints makes clear that it doesn't require heroic Mother Teresa-types to make a difference with the poor, and it even more powerfully shows us that working with them is not gloomy, depressing work. Knuth's moving stories demonstrate the profound joy any of us can experience when we see serving the poor not as social work, but as a spiritual path that leads us to the heart of Jesus.

From the Back Cover

A thrift store in inner-city Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Exactly the place where you'd expect to meet Jesus, right?

Jane Knuth's middle-class, suburban, church-going background had not prepared her well to serve as a volunteer at an inner-city thrift store. Reluctantly, she decided to give it a try.
Thrift Store Saints is a collection of true stories based on Jane's unexpected, soul-stirring experiences at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Rather than viewing society's poor as problems to be solved, Jane begins to see them, one at a time, in a completely different light--as saints who can lead us straight to the heart of Christ.
Jane's transformation is rooted in the prevailing message of the book: When we serve the poor, they end up giving us much more than we could ever give them. Each chapter introduces readers to new "saints," as Jane thoughtfully, at times humorously, describes how her frequent encounters with the poorest people were really opportunities to meet Jesus--25[ at a time.

Jane Knuth has been volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the last 15 years. She is also an eighth-grade math teacher. Jane and her husband, Dean, live in Portage, Michigan. This is Jane's first book.

Review Quotes

"[Jane Knuth's] stories of the people that visit the store are very inspiring and she uses these stories to teach us the Vincentian principles of divine providence, spirituality and seeing the face of Christ in the poor."
--Ozanam News


"I love Jane Knuth's books Thrift Store Saints and Thrift Store Graces."
--Ray Dupont, National Saint Vincent de Paul Stores Committee Chairperson

The stories are fascinating, the reflections probing.
--Review for Religious

About the Author

Jane Knuth has been volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the last 15 years. She is also an eighth-grade math teacher. Jane and her husband, Dean, live in Portage, Michigan. This is Jane's first book