The Sharing Shelf's Teen Boutique - A Free Shopping Day for Teen Girls

Port Chester, NY: On Saturday, November 12, 2016, The Sharing Shelf, a program of Family Services of Westchester (FSW), transformed New York Covenant Church in New Rochelle into a sea of color, racks filled with shirts and sweaters and tables piled with jeans, leggings, jackets, pajamas, jewelry and more. The reason – The Sharing Shelf’s 9th Teen Boutique, a free pop-up boutique for low-income teen girls. More than 200 girls and some of their mothers and guardians, from communities throughout Westchester County, had an opportunity to “shop” for clothing, shoes and accessories, which had been donated by Westchester residents and displayed boutique-style by volunteers. The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) partnered with The Sharing Shelf on this event. FSW Board member Dierdra Gray Clark, a minister at the Church, arranged for use of the space.

“Teen Boutique is an amazing event,” remarked Deborah Blatt, Founder and Director of The Sharing Shelf. “Volunteers come together to create a special day for girls they don’t know. They organized clothing drives in their communities, come to sort everything in our warehouse then put it all together. I love this day. It’s very special for all involved.”

“Each year Teen Boutique provides a unique service to teen girls,” said Susan B. Wayne, President and CEO, FSW. “It’s events like these that speak volume to the mission of FSW and the work we do through Westchester communities.”

Jennifer Johnson, the JLWOS committee chair for the event, echoed Ms. Blatt, “Members of the Junior League of Westchester on the Sound are proud to have partnered with The Sharing Shelf for the past 4 years to provide support and clothing to so many young women in need. Teen Boutique has not only been a rewarding experience, it is paramount to our mission as a league."

The girls who attended were from Port Chester, New Rochelle, White Plains, Ossining, Yonkers, Mount Vernon, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, Mamaroneck, Dobbs Ferry and Elmsford. The girls were referred by more than 20 social service agencies, schools, food pantries, community groups and churches. By the end of the day, over 5,200 items had been distributed.

A huge thank goes to the amazing community partners who donated time, energy and supplies to ensuring a successful Teen Boutique including Port Chester’s Giving Project, Miller’s Toys, Carver Center, Lion’s Heart, Manhattanville College Women’s Lacrosse and Softball teams, Monroe College’s Honor Program, and Iona Preparatory School.

About The Sharing Shelf of FSW

The Sharing Shelf collects new and gently used clothing for infants, youth and teens, then distributes the items to more than 2,000 low-income children and teens each year at no cost. The children we serve receive a week’s worth of seasonally appropriate clothing matched into outfits according to a child’s sizing needs. The Sharing Shelf partners with more than 50 food pantries, social service agencies, non-profit programs, schools and hospitals county-wide to distribute the clothing. To learn more about FSW’s Sharing Shelf, contact Deborah Blatt at (914) 305-5950 or email thesharingshelf@fsw.org.

About Family Services of Westchester

Family Services of Westchester is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing Westchester County with a broad range of social and mental health services that strengthen and support families, children, and individuals at every stage of the life cycle. For more information, visit www.fsw.org, call 914-937-2320 and connect with us on twitter and Facebook @FSWestchester

Photo Credit: Jessica Shayn

Contact: Michelle A. Nicholas, VP, Development and External Affairs
Email: mnicholas@fsw.org
Phone: 914-305-6836