Braddock Boutique Serves Families in Need

Tucked away in a small room to the right of ’s cafeteria entrance is the Braddock Boutique. The boutique, which aims to serve school families for whom English is a second or other language, began as a “help-yourself closet” for those in need.

“My target audience as an ESOL teacher was the parents of our English language learners, so it’s an opportunity to bring our parents in who may not have a warm, fuzzy feeling about school and are hesitant about coming in the building. That’s how we’ve angled it here at Braddock,” said Patty Shawish, boutique advisor. The inspiration for the boutique came from the boutique model at in Falls Church.

Shawish runs the boutique with the help of Shop Manager Patricia Anton and about five other Braddock moms.

“They’re here almost half to three-quarters of a full day, organizing and getting everything set up.  They pass that sense of community onto all the people that come in that are using the boutique too,” Shawish said about the efforts of the volunteers. As a result of their work and the efforts of those involved, the boutique was recently recognized as one of Johns Hopkins University’s Promising Partnership Practices 2011.

Every Friday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., families can fill a grocery-sized bag with needed garments for the cost of a $5 annual membership. The membership card earns families two visits monthly and any additional visits cost $2. “Every Friday there’s a line of families ready to be served,” said Parent-Teacher Association President Mike Tran. An estimated 20 to 30 families shop the boutique weekly.  “They look forward to the boutique being open because it is a social opportunity,” Shawish added.

Braddock Boutique obtains its goods from individual donations and also receives equipment and other unsold items from several local consignment shops. Donations also come from students at neighborhood schools. For example, a student from started a collection of children’s clothing for the boutique as a service project.

Despite the donations, Shawish notes that the boutique always needs more. “It keeps me awake at night wondering how I am going to get more donations.  It takes time to build up that level of donor support,” said Shawish.

Shawish said she is excited about the free English classes offered to parents on Monday mornings, as well as the family literacy program coming in February. She hopes these efforts will make parents “feel welcomed and feel like they’re part of the school as are all of our families, not just for our families that speak English.” 

To learn more about the Braddock Boutique, make a donation, or otherwise learn how to contribute, e-mail Patty Shawish at PAShawish@fcps.edu.