We at BCG have spent months developing our Spring Cause Campaign the “Giving Boutique” our goal is to give back to homeless kids and teens and we feel it’s extremely unique. We interviewed several homeless teens and homeless families living in both Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA. One of the reoccurring things we heard was that many homeless individuals often feel like trash, yes we said trash. It was so sad to hear many, spoke of always receiving donations in garbage bags or grocery bags and, that while grateful, it made them feel hopeless and unwanted. After we did some thinking, we thought how cool would it be if we could give these families and teens a real shopping experience, where items were not thrown on tables or in trash bags, but actually hung up, color coordinated, washed and even new?!
The “Giving Boutique” is a national new and gently used clothing drive and on-site activation to support thousands of homeless youth that go without basic necessities on a daily basis.
We are proud to announce that we have teamed up with TV Star, Mother, Boutique Owner, Author and of course Giver, Mrs. Toya Wright.
Antonia (“Toya”) Wright was born in New Orleans as a teenager she found love with a young musician who the world would come to know as “Lil Wayne”.
Co-starring in the television show, “Tiny and Toya” was BET’s top-rated show in both of its two seasons, as Toya’s sweetness and sincerity struck a chord with viewers everywhere keeping them tuned in each week. Her relationship with her mother, her heartfelt effort to create a strong and loving relationship with her daughter, and her search for true love captured the hearts of viewers all over the world. Toya’s new show “Toya: A Family Affair” started airing in 2011. It introduced viewers to her large extended family – and all of the interesting characters who are part of her world. Toya served as one of the executive producers of this exciting new glimpse into her life. But “Toya: A Family Affair” is only one of her many exciting projects, with a new reality show in the works, her number one priorities are wife and mother!
Toya has been recently named a New York Times Best Selling Author, her book Priceless Inspirations offers young women guidance and priceless gems of advice all of which she learned the hard way from her own life experiences. She shares the ins and outs, the ups and downs of the moments and struggles to find her own voice in a complicated world; and becoming a mother as a teenager and now raising her own teenage daughter.
Toya is the owner of GARB Boutiques, trendy boutiques in New Orleans and Atlanta filled with classy unique clothing, shoes and accessories. She is also the founder and CEO of “Visual Beauty” a non-profit that helps disadvantaged young women find their own inner beauty and self worth. Toya lives by the personal motto “Nothing beats a failure but a try”. Just as she embodies the true meaning of this, she continues to deliver this message in everything she does! As our celebrity ambassador and creative director Toya will help us build out a custom boutique in which homeless families will be able to shop and have a true day of enjoyment! Continue reading to learn more about our spring cause campaign which kicks off on April 22nd and ends on the first day of Summer, Friday June 21st!
The Giving Boutique – Black Celebrity Giving’s 2013 Spring Cause Campaign
The Cause: Poverty and Homelessness
According to the National Center on Family Homelessness – One in 45 children experience homelessness in America each year. That’s over 1.6 million children. 42 percent are under the age of six, and a third of them are living with single mothers with chronic illnesses.
Every night more than 200,000 children have no place to live and lack basic necessities such as food and clothing. Homeless children and youth face a number of problems. These include developmental problems, abuse and neglect, lack of effective education, food and clothing among others.
The Goal: According to EPA statistics, Americans threw away approximately 790,000 tons of footwear and apparel in 2011. The goal of our Giving Boutique is to provide homeless and near homeless children and families with clothing, accessories hygiene items, and other essentials including socks, shoes and underwear. Our goal is to provide these children with basic necessities to ensure that they are protected from the elements, able to meet basic health and hygiene needs, allow them to actively participate in school and simply to help bolster their self esteem and provide as much normalcy in their lives as possible.
The “Giving Boutique” will provide a homeless shopping experience that is unparalleled to anything these families have ever experienced before. Families will be able to shop in a boutique pop-up shop with amenities including: cupcakes, beverages, friendly staff, fitting rooms, furniture and the overall boutique shopping experience. The “Giving Boutique” will also feature an accessories counter, and a soap shop filled with donated items from beauty and hair brands. While youth and their families shop the “Giving Boutique” will play live music and provide tons of goodies. Most importantly we will change lives, allowing for many the first time in years when they get to pick out and try on their items and take in reusable branded shopping bags.
All items will be free of charge and youth and kid participants will get to choose between 4-5 outfits and accompanying accessories.
We would love your support and we hope this “Giving Boutique” appeals to your desire to give back and that your excitement level is as high as ours in regards to changing lives! Stay tuned to BCG as our official campaign launches next Monday! Our campaign landing page BlackCelebrityGiving.com/GivingBoutique will also launch Monday which will include drop off locations, a list of items needed and so much more! Special Shout out once more to our lovely campaign ambassador and creative director Mrs. Toya Wright!
