About the Nonprofit
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Bloomin' Boutique offers a hand up by providing new clothes, shoes, bedding and personal care items to underprivileged children, empowering them to become confident, constructive members of their communities.
These are children whose lives are in upheaval due to family poverty, parent job loss, homelessness, mental health challenges, domestic violence, or child abuse and neglect. Our goal is to help children weather significant family instability. We serve 900 children per year.
We operate using a referral system. A partner organization refers a child to us, sharing the child’s name, age, size, gender, ethnicity, etc., and then we pull together a package. Our partners are private nonprofits, public agencies and schools. Schools are keen on the program because they recognize that children are far more comfortable in the classroom (and arrive more ready to learn) if they are wearing clean, new, size-appropriate clothes.
We are an all-volunteer operation. When we receive a referral, our volunteers pull together the items for the child’s package, and the referring partner then picks up the package and delivers it to the child. However, we do allow teens to come to our storefront site with their advocate (not a parent) to choose their own items. We believe this empowers them at a time when they may feel beset by events outside their control. And it helps ensure that the items they receive suit them. Our services are free to the child and the referring partner.
Many of the items we disburse to children were donated to us by generous companies, individuals, and community groups. Plus, local crafters give us handmade pillowcases, quilts, hats and tote bags to pass on. We augment these things with items we purchase, to ensure we have a large enough (and wide-ranging enough) supply on hand. For instance, we need lots of different sizes. Cash gifts allow us to make these purchases, and we buy in bulk when suppliers offer big discounts.
Our standard package for a child now includes 7 shirts, 4 pairs of pants, 7 pairs of underwear, 10 pairs of socks, 1-2 pairs of shoes, 1 jacket, 1 backpack, and toiletries. (Older girls receive three bras and six months’ worth of feminine hygiene products.)
Children also receive bedding, if needed, and a book, school/art supplies and a toy. Plus, in cold weather they get a hat, scarf and gloves. Depending on the items we have acquired via donations, we may also include pajamas.
Teen moms with new infants get baby clothes, a blanket, diapers, formula and potentially some baby equipment (like a bouncer) — again, depending on what is given to us or offered at huge discount. Foster children going to summer camp can get a sleeping bag, flashlight, pillow and swimsuit.
