The Stockroom…

Behind the scenes in our Stockroom… Just some thoughts on the current happenings of TC!

Mariah’s Story

May 6, 2011

There was something about Mariah that immediately drew us to her. She was bubbly and out-going, definitely a ray of sunshine. This was Mariah’s first visit to Taylor’s Closet. She was eager to find new clothing that would her six-month pregnant belly.

Throughout the visit Mariah would stop, look at the brand new designer clothing and ask, “How can this be free?”.

Upon returning home from her trip to Taylor’s Closet, Mariah’s boyfriend was very upset. “How can you go spend money on clothes when we can’t pay the rent?” he asked. Mariah, hardly believing it for herself, tried to explain that everything she received was free, absolutely free. Her boyfriend was in sheer disbelief, “People just don’t give out nice stuff like, especially to people like us.”

Mariah received beautiful new clothing but the thing that touched her more then anything was that it was given to her simply because she is loved, by us and by God. For the first time in a long time, she realized her worth and value. That’s what Taylor’s Closet is all about…love and hope!

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Crystal’s Story

April 5, 2011

Crystal walked in timid, shy, and afraid of what was to come. Crystal had been bounced from family member to family member, group home to group home. The toll of her life’s instability had already started to make its mark.

Fear filled her entire little body. Life should not be filled with so much uncertainty, especially not for a 13-year-old girl. She shuttered at every noise and rarely made eye contact. Shopping was a new experience for her. Finally the choice was hers.

It took a while before she would say a word. Every question asked was answered with nothing more then a grunt or shrug of her shoulder. Her caseworker told us she rarely speaks, if ever. Shopping broke down the barrier. She started to open up. The same girl that couldn’t look us in the eyes was now posing in the mirror. The same girl we were told rarely spoke, was not only talking and smiling, but hugging us as she left.

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Human Trafficking

February 6, 2011

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Things are changin’

September 21, 2010

Lately my role has changed a bit at Taylor’s Closet. Since I made the decision that I’m going to leave Florida and Taylor’s Closet and go to design school in January, I’ve tried to disperse a lot of my responsibilities to ease into my leave. Currently, I’ve been focusing on specific one area instead of having my hands in many (even though I still have my hands in many). That area is communications! So, since March I’ve been focusing on everything to do with media, design, website, and actually communicating our voice to our supporters and donors! I love it!

I kind of love that I’m the one out there telling the stories, letting all you guys know what goes on back here. It’s funny, because its something I’m beginning to think about all the time, throughout my day. I find myself looking at the strategies of other businesses and non-profits and how they engage their supporters. Instead of noticing the beautiful clothes displayed in a storefront (which is very natural for me), I’m looking at how they marketed the line and with what angle are they trying to sell it. I’m starting to say in my head “I like the way they used that font and then backed it up with bold colors… ohh this is classy, not to pushy,”  & “Hmm, they probably could’ve been a little more down-to-earth with their tagline” & “I love the way I’m not intimidated, and yet still not bored when I look at their website…hmmm, I’ll have to remember this.” It’s sort of strange the way your mind adapts to the task you’re so focused on.

Linds

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Lives are Changing

August 12, 2010

It’s crazy to think that our first session of Awaken is coming to a close. I can honestly say that I love each of the girls who are a part of Awaken. Things are starting to change in them, the way they speak, the way they act, the way they love.  We are truly becoming family.

Over the past eight weeks we’ve laughed together, cried together, prayed together. Our lives look very different which makes the bond we share that much sweeter. I know that we have seen God’s heart toward each other. We started this journey as strangers and we are continuing on as family.

We are just getting started though. We know there are hundreds of girls out there who need love and hope “Awakened” in their lives.  As this chapter in the history of Taylor’s Closet progresses we are eager to see lives continue to change through Awaken. God is stirring hearts and changing lives. The crazy thing is, that it’s not just their lives that are changing but ours as well.

Shannon

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Going deeper…

July 12, 2010

This last month has been so special. In the past five weeks of Awaken, we have been able to delve so much deeper into the girls’ lives. It’s been awesome. It is always amazing getting to shop with the girls and pray with them. It opens the doors to a relationship with them. But Awaken let’s us actually “be” with them in everything they face. Each week we are able to follow up with the girls and find out what is going on in their lives. We know their problems, their hurts, the things that make them happy…and we can show them Jesus in all of it. They are beginning to understand how much they are truly worth, to God and to us. They are so much more than girls who we love that we only see occasionally. They have become like family.

Ashley

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First week of our “Awaken” mentoring program!

May 6, 2010

We started the first of many mentoring sessions at Taylor’s Closet! We are calling this program ‘Awaken’ because we know that during the process the Lord will awaken His daughter’s hearts to His! Each mentoring session is 8 weeks – during the week its a 3 hour time we have with the girlies! Now, enough about specs…let me just tell you, the Lord is already moving and breathing into the wounds of these girls!

We cooked asparagus, whole wheat crepes and sat down to dine with each other at dinner table like a true family! We made some art! (the girls did, I was too busy documenting) Self portraits to be exact…the girls did a beautiful job of representing themselves. And then we sat down in our own version of a living room (the ministry room) and started off the 8 week journey with casual gettin’-to-know-ya conversation.

It was an amazing night – it almost makes us want to have a mentoring session every night at TC…Lord?

Linds

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