Several teenage girls from Point Loma and La Jolla, along with their mothers, have taken a fondness for clothing and swapping styles among friends a step further by launching My Girlfriend’s Closet, an organization that gives away gently used clothing to girls in need.
“I wanted the opportunity to help other teenagers who were less fortunate than 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 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 Greiret, 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 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 participating organizations. My Girlfriend’s Closet maintains relationships with San Diego Youth and Community Services, The Monarch School, Toussaint Academy, Voices for Children, New Alternatives and the YMCA, all of which help get the word out to teens.
Girls are not screened to attend a distribution event “” anyone in need is welcome no matter how they hear of the affair. 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.
“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.”
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 through the organization’s mission of clothing those in need.
“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,” Ouelette said of their hundreds of hours of service. “It gives them a great deal of pride to have created this organization.
For more information, call (619) 884-4445.