Winter Boutique 2017

The clothing is washed, sorted, and folded; the storefront is decorated as a Candy Cane Forest; and the flyers are distributed to local nonprofits and schools - the Winter Boutique is open for shoppers!

Hands4Hope’s annual Winter Boutique is set to open December 1st and run the first and second weekends of the month. Geared towards individuals and families in need, this outreach event offers attendees the opportunity to “shop” for new and gently-used winter clothing without having to pay for anything!

The planning for this event began at the end of October, and is led by the Winter Boutique Committee, a group of committed youth and adult volunteers who collect and solicit donations, decide on and create a holiday theme for the boutique space, design and distribute flyers to organizations from Placerville to Folsom, and host the actual event. Hands4Hope Outreach Coordinator, Yoko Kono, also planned and lead the Warm & Fuzzy Drives and Blanket Making Party to collect more donations from the community.

With the Winter Boutique ready to open, and all of the preparations finished, Oak Ridge Sophomore and Winter Boutique Committee Member, Kealani Kuykendall describes her thoughts on the outreach: “I feel like the event will be a success [...] we put in a lot of hard work, and the decorations look really festive! I hope the event is as well attended as last year!”

"I think that the marketing and preparation for the Winter Boutique went very well. The meetings we had leading up to the Boutique really helped us see what we needed to get done, and we did get them done. It was a fun preparation time, and I am glad with how it turned out," Saint Francis Sophomore and Winter Boutique Committee Member, Aine Colgan furthered. "This is the first time I have heard of the Winter Boutique, and when I heard what it was for, I immediately wanted to help. It is so great what the boutique does for these families who aren’t able to buy winter clothes for them or their children. It amazes me what kind hearts people have when it comes to helping others."

Kenzie Misso, Oak Ridge Junior and committee member then concluded “I’m really excited for the Winter Boutique! The committee worked hard to put this on, and I’m so excited for the families to come and get the clothes they need. Personally, I’m really looking forward to just seeing people getting to pick out warm winter clothes because I know what a big difference this makes.”

For more information on this great event, please contact Yoko Kono at yoko@hands4hopeyouth.org or visit our website at hands4hopeyouth.org.