Girls shop free today

Girls shop free today

The foundation’s 17-year-old founder started it in honor of her twin sister, who died at birth.

YOUNGSTOWN — A group of less-privileged girls is expected to have the opportunity today to shop for some new clothes with designer labels.

Taylor’s Closet Foundation, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is to open a temporary Taylor’s Closet store this afternoon at Valley Foods Inc., East Boardman Street.

The temporary store opening will be held in conjunction with Mahoning County Children Services, which has arranged for several teenage girls to shop for free brand-name clothing that day.

“They’re very excited,” said Denise Stewart, executive director of children services. “They don’t often get the opportunity to shop for new clothes and they’re very excited about that.”

The foundation was founded in 2005 by Lindsay Giambattista, 17, granddaughter of city natives John and Maryann Valley. Lindsay started the foundation in memory of her twin sister, Taylor, who died at birth.

“When I was 14, I needed community service hours for high school,” Lindsay said. “I started praying about it because I didn’t want to baby-sit for four years, and the idea came to me, and the name popped into my head.”

Initially, Lindsay called family and friends asking for clothes they no longer wanted but were in good condition.

Eventually, designers were contacting her to donate clothes, and a general contractor offered his services free of charge.

Taylor’s Closet operates out of a store in the same building as a foster care agency. The organization also does outreach to other areas similar to what’s scheduled today in the city.

Lindsay believes God plays a role in the organization.

She sees a transformation in the young girls who come through her store each week. When they come in, they’re guarded with emotional walls built up around themselves.

“About a half-hour later, when they try on an outfit and we tell them they’re beautiful, there’s a complete change,” Lindsay said. “It’s a pretty crazy transformation.”

Taylor’s Closet Foundation enables girls in foster care to come into a storelike environment and shop for new brand-name clothing at no cost. In December 2006, Taylor’s Closet opened its first permanent store in Fort Lauderdale. The foundation continues to expand its outreach efforts and has provided free clothing for more than 5,000 girls in the United States, Honduras and Ukraine.

The foundation’s vision is to bring the love of Jesus Christ to girls in need throughout the world by providing places for them to shop for clothing for free.

Major clothing manufacturers and distributors have donated to the foundation.

Brand-name clothing available at Taylor’s Closet includes Prada, Coach, Free People, Kensie, XOXO, Seven Jeans, Louis Vuitton, BEBE, American Eagle, Abercrombe &Fitch, and Holister.