4 Teens by Teens

By teens for teens youth closet is a clothing exchange for at risk teens in the Virginia Beach area.  It is operated under the direction of Brian Alexander, social justice coordinator, at Church of the Holy Family, Nancy Reckling a Virginia Beach school social worker and a parent volunteers. The primary goals of the closet are to provide free wearable, comfortable and stylish clothing to area teens who would not otherwise be able to afford them and to give Church of the Holy Family teen youth members an opportunity to serve their fellow teen community members by organizing clothing drives, sorting clothing and maintaining the upkeep of the building where the teens “shop” for clothing located on the grounds of the church. 

The clothing closest has been operational for several years. However, the inside of the physical space is currently in need of some minor updating. Updating will allow for better access to clothing and maximize the square footage of the space. It will also allow for a small private dressing space to be installed giving teens an opportunity to try on clothing before taking it home. 

Listed below are some immediate goals we will be working on over the course of the next few months.
 

-Student volunteers will sort through all clothing currently in closet.  New items will be organized by size and gender and existing items in closet will be sorted and organized.

-New shelving will be built along the back and side walls with hanging options below to accommodate the clothing that is currently on floor shelving in the center of the closet.
-A round shower curtain rod and curtain will be purchased and installed along a corner wall to create a private dressing area for trying clothing on.
-Students will brainstorm ideas for having a clothing drive at their respective high schools. 
-Students will brainstorm ideas of how to host a “fairy godmother dress drive” for formal dresses needed by area girls for prom and other formal events held at schools in the spring.
 

If you are interested in helping with the Teen Clothing Closet please contact Brian Alexander in the parish office.