Boutique builds self-esteem and confidence for teens in need
SAN ANTONIO - For a girl in her teens, a new outfit can lift their self-esteem and for one who is living in foster care it can show them they are loved and cared for. We take you inside a new boutique set up especially for teen girls in need of some TLC.
"Most of our items as you can see are all brand new and by size, so its easy for the girls to shop," said Cathy Hamilton, boutique manager, Threads for Teens.
For Cathy Hamilton running this boutique is truly a labor of love.
"Clothing to teen girls is everything and it is tough to be a teen girl in foster care, its tough being a teen girl anyways and clothing is confidence," Hamilton said.
Hamilton started Threads for Teens last week. The boutique offers clothing to girls age 13 to 18 in foster care here in San Antonio. She says there are currently 1,000 teen girls in foster care in the Alamo City. Hamilton served as an advocate for CASA here in San Antonio for 5 years, she says many teens come into foster care with just the clothes they have on their backs.
"The foster care system is over whelmed, everyone I think is doing the best they can but this is a way to support those agencies, foster parents, group homes, but basically the teens," Hamilton said.
The boutique sits inside the building that houses Boys Town Texas. Executive Director Janie Cook says the impact this shop makes on these girls is evident when they leave.
"Maybe people will think it's just an outfit, but it's not, it's much bigger than that and so if you see that, just in their smiles then you know it's bigger than that," said Janie Cook, executive director, Boys Town Texas.
After the girls have picked out their clothes and had a great time, they are asked to fill out a card expressing their thanks and kind of what they thought of the boutique, if you take a minute and you look at this bulletin board you see the greater impact this place has.
"I had one of the girls tell me, I feel so warm and so happy when I am in here and I am like, that's it, that is exactly it," Hamilton said.
Threads for Teens is looking primarily for new clothing. If you would like to donate, they are most in need for girl's bras, underwear and pajamas. You can contact the organization at cathy@threadsforteens.org
