100% of sales from Teresa’s Antiques go to three local non-profits

Teresa’s Antiques is now 100% for charity. Customers who buy an antique are asked to pick one of three local non-profits — LifeMoves, Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF), or the Riekes Center — and Teresa’s Antiques will donate the full purchase amount to the chosen organization.

After 45 years in the antique business, Teresa said she was ready for a change: “I thought about retiring and focusing on charity work, but what would I do? By making my business 100% for charity, I can keep doing what I love — and give back at the same time.”

Teresa began her antique business in Menlo Park in 1977, where she had a shop for 20 years until she moved her business to the San Francisco Design Center. She has always specialized in 18th and 19th century European furniture and for three decades directly imported antiques from France.

She closed Ambiance Antiques in 2017 when her husband, John Beltramo, became ill. In 2021 she re-opened as Teresa’s Antiques, at 842 Santa Cruz Avenue and became a member of the Menlo Park Design District.

“LifeMoves is very grateful for Teresa Beltramo’s innovative thinking, generosity and excitement surrounding this new community giving program through Teresa’s
Antiques,” said Marie Jackson, Chief Marketing Officer for LifeMoves. “We look forward to sharing about the opportunity to find a treasure for your home or a special gift, while also supporting our work to solve homelessness for families and individuals in our community.”

Riekes Center Executive Director, Mark Newton adds, “The Riekes Center is honored to be one of the local organizations chosen by Teresa’s Antiques and the Beltramo family, who have been supportive members of our community for decades. We are very excited about this opportunity to reconnect with our neighbors in downtown Menlo Park.”

Teresa’s Antiques is one of many Menlo Park businesses stepping up to help worthy causes. The Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association, working with the Menlo Park Design District, is bringing the Taste of the Mountains Wine Walk back to downtown Menlo Park this December with proceeds going to the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF).

“We are deeply grateful to Menlo Park businesses, like Teresa’s Antiques, for their generous support of the Menlo Park City School District,” said Carrie Chen, executive director, Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation. “We are thrilled to welcome back the wine walk, which has always been a fun event in support of our schools, where people can explore downtown shops and taste delicious local wine.”

By using her shop as a fundraiser, Teresa is ending her career much as she began it. In 1976 she founded the Nativity Antique Show, a church and school benefit which ran for over 20 years. In producing the show, Teresa worked closely with Bob Dehn, the late husband of Fran Dehn, the longstanding president of the Menlo Park Chamber of Commerce.

“We just celebrated Nativity’s 150th Anniversary,” said Fran Dehn, “and the Nativity Antique Show is an important part of our history. It’s a pleasure to see Teresa’s love of antiques come full circle, once again for the benefit of the local community.”

Photo by Robb Most shows Teresa with grand niece Lisa Hewitt, who is working at Teresa’s Antiques, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.