COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Firefly — formerly known as Family, Inc. — is preparing to move to the Charles E. Lakin Campus. In the process of moving, it held a free garage sale on Friday. The Council Bluffs-based nonprofit provides in-home services to families, public health services and more.
- "They do a lot of great parent education at home. They learn a lot from newborns to three-and-half-years-old," said Amber Reichart, a Council Bluffs mom with four kids and another expected.
- "We believe that every individual, every family, every community has its own, inherent, inner light," said Executive Director Kimberly Kolakowski of the decision behind the new name.
- Read more about Firefly here.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Baby items are expensive and they've been one of the most popular products here at the community garage sale on the Lakin Campus in Council Bluffs. I'm your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.
I'm here to find out more about Firefly, the organization hosting this garage sale.
Katrina: "Can you hold it up and show me what it does?"
(Girl laughs, shows reporter decoration she found)
Vivian: "It's like, there's both sides to it..."
Amber Reichart, mother of middle-schooler, Vivian, three smaller ones and a baby on the way, has been a client off-and-on for nine years.
"They do a lot of great parent education at home. They learn a lot from newborns to three-and-half-years-old," said Reichart.
Vivian with little siblings: "Say 'hi'!"
She said one of her boys had speech delays and Firefly provided help for him.
"They actually helped today with the garage sale today. They got us some newborn clothing, diapers, toys," Reichart said.
Until recently, Firefly was known as Family Inc. But, its mission expanded from in-home services for young families to public health and even literacy programs. As the nonprofit expands and moves to a new location, it looked for ways to make sure donated items and supplies were put to use.
"So, we found ourselves piling up these items that hadn't been used in a while and we realized, those could be helpful to others. We don't need them any longer," said Firefly Executive Director Kimberly Kolakowski.
The new address comes with a new name that has a special meaning, says Kolakowski.
"We believe that every individual, every family, every community has its own, inherent, inner light," she said.
When that light is extinguished, Firefly wants to be a spark that reignites it.
"Whether that be a child, a family, another organization or a community as a whole," Kolakowski said.
The nonprofit is moving into a new space on the Charles E. Lakin Campus and its garage sale, which was free, was lighting up faces.
Little boy: "Dolphin!"
This garage sale runs for a few hours on Friday, but the executive director told me they're already thinking about doing another one next year.
