ALF was established in Flagstaff in 1978 as a chapter within the National Assistance League. 
ALF was established in Flagstaff in 1978 as a chapter within the National Assistance League. While our name has changed, our volunteers will continue to support the most vulnerable within the Flagstaff community and will continue to manage the Cedar Closet Thrift Store, consistent winner of the Arizona Daily Sun Best of Flagstaff award.
ALF 2024-25 President Francie Buttrey led the organization during the transition year and with total transparency, educating the nearly 100 members about the new fees being required by the National Assistance League. The board researched and weighed the pros and cons that led to a vote by the membership to disaffiliate effective May 31, 2025.
“The new national Memorandum of Affiliation was much more restrictive than the previous one, and we were concerned that once we signed the new agreement, it would be difficult to leave. We also realized that we did not utilize any of the services that the national organization provided. As a small chapter, we just didn’t need what they had to offer.
Buttrey described the business challenges of the disaffiliation, including establishing a new logo and website, updating all marketing materials, attorney fees and all of the legalities of establishing a separate not-for-profit agency.
“It was a team effort of the board and the membership. We were one of five chapters in Arizona to disaffiliate,” said Buttrey. “All five chapters in Arizona chose to leave the national organization. Some of the larger chapters were tremendously generous in providing information such as which attorney to use, different marketing firms and an actual spreadsheet of the tasks needed to complete this process. Anytime we had a question, we could email or text and one of the chapters would be able to help. We have developed quite a relationship with our ‘sister chapters’ and we plan to continue to foster those relationships. In the end, the excitement of our members says it all! We can continue funding our eight philanthropic programs through the sales at our thrift store. Now that we are no longer affiliated with a national organization, all our money stays in the community of Flagstaff.”
Our philanthropic programs such as School Clothes for Kids, Kiddie Closet and Thrift Store Vouchers, to name a few, provide goods and services to individuals and families through our partnership with community agencies such as Sharon’s Manor, The State Veterans Home, Flagstaff Unified School District and Flagstaff Shelter Services, among others. It is through sales generated at the store, private donations and fundraising events that we can fund our eight community-based programs.
Newly elected President Gaye Knight shared, “We are delighted that this change allows us to provide maximum funding to our programs. Our mission of volunteers supporting our community with compassion, commitment, and caring lives on.”
The Cedar Closet, located at 2919 N. West Street in the Sunnyside neighborhood, partnered in 2024 with local artist Joel Geist to unveil the public mural “Bee Generous” on the north wall of the building facing our parking lot. The City of Flagstaff provided a beautification grant to make the work possible.
“Bee Generous” signifies the energy of the more than 90 members who donate more than $35,000 a month in volunteer labor at the store, deliver goods and services to our partners, and directly serve customers using our Thrift Store Voucher program.
A fundraising concert to support the Cedar Closet of Flagstaff and its eight charitable programs is scheduled for 3 p.m., Sunday, July 6, as the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival kicks off a cabaret series in the newly acquired Beaver Street Theatre. Songs from artists like Blake Shelton and Toby Keith as well as a Tribute to Johnny Cash will be sung by Stephen Edwards. Edwards is a bass-baritone, Northern Arizona University graduate who has performed several concerts in Flagstaff, including at the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany with Charly Spining. For more information, visit www.flagshakes.org. FBN
By Lynn Timmons Edwards
The Cedar Closet Thrift Store is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. We also accept donations on Mondays.
Follow us on social media: www.cedarclosetflag.com, and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CedarClosetFlag/). We also encourage you to sign up for our Friends of the Cedar Closet email list, which you can join during any store visit or by sending a note to CedarClosetFlag@gmail.com.
Lynn Timmons Edwards is a volunteer with the
Cedar Closet of Flagstaff.
Leave a Reply