Our Story

 

My name is Carol Croteau.  The story of Friends of Maria begins with a vision that captivated my mind and heart In 2007, when I retired from the human services field, I wanted to continue my ministry to women.  I opened a small office where I would be available to women living in the Greater Norwich area, many of whom I had come to know and love over the past twenty years.

 

I recognized that a number of these women were living alone and were seeking connection to a wider community of friends.  I wanted to put these women in communication with one another.  I gathered a group of 12 women who met weekly at my office.  As they learned to know and trust one another, these women began to share their needs and concerns, their hopes and their dreams, with one another.  Perhaps to their own surprise, they discovered that, when they put their heads together, they had the practical information and healing wisdom needed to open their minds and hearts to new possibilities.
They had become a resource network for one another.  

 

Together we forged a mission statement, discerned membership requirements, wrote by-laws, created a logo, and became close friends.  We met bi-weekly for two and a half years. In July 2009, we achieved incorporation as the Friends of Maria.  They had founded a non-profit corporation!  

 

In order to move forward, we required a space of our own--a home away from home where friends could gather--a hub that would impact not only individual lives but the whole community. After experimenting with several venues, Friends of Maria found the ideal way to draw women and others from the wider community to a place that promoted friendship while meeting basic needs.

 

We opened a Thrift Store, Maria's Treasures, at 509 Norwich Avenue in Taftville, a small village within the City of Norwich. Stocked with an ongoing stream of donations from many sources and staffed by volunteers from the local community, Friends of Maria is meeting the practical needs of this multicultural area while promoting a web of friendship that draws people together.

 

We invite you to visit us!  We are open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12pm-5pm, and Saturdays from 12pm-4pm.  To inquire about making tax deductible donations or volunteering your time, you can contact me, Carol Croteau, at 860 884-5256 or 860 889-1100.

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