Teenage girls’ love of clothes goes back about as long as the two were hatched, and because of that fondness most girls are willing to share clothes with each other.
Several girls from La Jolla and Point Loma and their mothers have taken their fondness and willingness to share a step further by launching My Girlfriend’s Closet, an organization that operates under the slogan “from our closet to yours” and gives away gently-used clothing to primarily foster and homeless teenage girls.
“I wanted the opportunity to help other teenagers who were less fortunate that I am, and My Girlfriend’s Closet gave my mom and me something to do together. It is great to be with an organization from the beginning,” said Nicole Ouellette, a 14-year-old student at La Jolla Country Day School. “Being involved with the organization makes me feel good when I know I am helping someone else.”
Mothers and daughters serve in different positions on the board for the organization. They collect clothing throughout the year from various churches, sororities and other philanthropic groups.
Once the collecting is done, the clothes are organized, sorted and ready for distribution events, like the one held last month at the Storefront Homeless Shelter in Hillcrest.
“We started the organization because a group of teenage girls wanted a way to give back to the community and one of the moms, Barbara Greiert, had created an organization with her son and she had the know-how to get us started,” said Barbara Ouelette, marketing advisor and participating mother. “Our goal is to reach out to as many teen girls in San Diego as we can, who need clothing. Our initial focus was on foster and homeless teens, but we have expanded to include any teen in need of clothing.”
The clothing events are open to any girl who is notified through the involved organizations. My Girlfriend’s Closet maintains relationships with organizations such as San Diego Youth & Community Services, The Monarch School, Toussaint Academy, and Voices for Children, New Alternatives and the YMCA, which help get the word out to the teenage girls. Girls are not screened and if someone invites a friend to come to the distribution events, then they are welcomed.
“I always used to throw my old clothes away or have them in the back of my closet, and now I am about to put them to use and give them to other teenagers who need them and are so happy to receive the clothing,” said Lara Greiret, a 17-year-old Point Loma High student. “Plus, when you think of all the girls in San Diego just like me who have extra clothes, it makes sense to give them to someone who might want or need them.”
Excitement rules at distribution events when the girls who receive the clothes show their gratitude to those who have made it possible. Participants are allowed to shop for free and take away two big bags of clothing.
About 75 girls were invited to the most recent event.
My Girlfriend’s Closet was launched a year-and-a-half ago and the organization was recently awarded nonprofit status.
About 25 people regularly volunteer to see the organization’s mission of clothing those in need to fruition.
“Even though the girls involved with the organization are from fortunate circumstances, regardless of their place in life, they would be committed to doing community service,” Barbara Ouelette said. “They put hundreds of hours into something they think is meaningful, and it gives them a great deal of pride to have created this organization, from even coming up with the name, working on the logo design and all other aspects of the organization.”
Many of the older girls do a lot more than My Girlfriend’s Closet; they hold down jobs, are athletes, work with other community groups as well as go to school and maintain great grades.”
For more information call (619) 884-4445.