A college student from California, Nicole Bjornsen, 18, has turned her love for fashion into a charitable effort. In May 2026, she began using the Depop app, which is known for resale, to sell donated and used clothing. Through her initiative called Sweet Balance & CareLink, she aims to provide meals to families in her community. Bjornsen expressed her concern about the impact of food prices on families and those who struggle during tough times.
Her motivation to help others comes from her grandmother, who immigrated to the U.S. from Ukraine. Bjornsen spent several years caring for her grandmother, attending doctor’s appointments, helping with translations, and preparing meals. She witnessed the challenges her grandmother faced in managing her health and nutrition. This experience fueled her desire to assist others who have similar difficulties.
To support her cause, Bjornsen sells both her clothes and items donated by friends, family, classmates, local thrift shops, and Buy Nothing Facebook groups. She takes on all aspects of the selling process, including sorting, photographing, listing, and shipping. As of now, she has sold over 261 items and raised $1,654. Half of the money she collects is used for purchasing fresh meals for families, while the other half is donated to Samaritan House, a community center and food bank in San Mateo.
Bjornsen’s goal was to keep the funds within her local area. Through her efforts, Sweet Balance has managed to assist more than 50 families, providing over 200 meals. She has received support from others, such as a woman named Madina, for whom she prepared traditional Kazakh meals for her elderly mother.
Bjornsen encourages others to consider reselling clothes to support local causes. She advises starting with items people already have, emphasizing that no significant funding or elaborate plans are necessary to begin. Selecting a local cause allows individuals to see the impact of their work. She notes that her efforts have taught her business skills such as pricing, marketing, and shipping. Bjornsen is eager to see how much further Sweet Balance can grow.
What do you think about using resale to help local communities?
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Source: Upworthy, by Emily Shiffer