Threads For Teens Gives Clothing To Under Privileged Girls

Anyone who has been to high school knows that being the outcast can often come with the dire consequence of bullying. For teens living in foster care or in group homes, this is often made worse because they cannot afford to dress the same as their peers. One California teen is trying to change that. Allyson Ahlstrom, 16, of Santa Rosa, California, started Threads For Teens, a non-profit organization whose goal is to help out struggling girls by outfitting them with the same brands their fellow students are wearing.

Allyson collects donations from companies for new clothing and accesories. She then sets them up in her "boutique" and schedules appointments with social workers to allow girls from foster homes to come shop. The price tags are blank and Allyson makes a point of putting out clothing that will fit the teen she's meeting with. It's a lot like playing pretend but the benefits are very real. The girls who come to shop at Threads For Teens get a self-esteem boost from being allowed to come pick out their own clothing the same way their peers would in regular stores. Most walk out with a couple of tops, a couple of bottoms, a dress, a purse, and some accessories but all of them walk out feeling a little less like an outcast.

Allyson recently won the Soroptimist Violet Richardson Award, which recognizes girls aged 14-17 for their work in bettering their communities.

To read more about Allyson, please click here.