Tidings for Teens is returning Aug. 7 to bring a private shopping spree for underserved youth in the foster care system.
Tidings for Teens was started in 2014 by Kelly Meena, and Tammey, Jessica and Kaylin Mai. The idea sparked after Meena’s oldest daughter expressed to Jessica and Kaylin that, throughout her time as a foster youth, she felt that foster youth needed more support in their corner.
The group of four then decided to tackle this need through donating clothes to foster youth — not only just by donations, though, but by giving each selected foster youth $100 to spend at Old Navy with a volunteer partner. Department of Children and Family Services social workers choose those who are most in need.
“Most of them go to school wearing the same thing year-round, whether that’s long sleeves in the summer and throughout the winter as well,” said Kaylin. “I think this gives them an opportunity to find something that they like, and they want to wear, that’s going to make them feel confident in themselves.”
“Just the feeling that they don’t have to worry about that part (the judgment of repeating clothes and outfits) of going to school, which it shouldn’t be a problem,” Jessica added.
This is the first year that Tidings for Teens — which recently attained its official status as a nonprofit organization — will have the Antelope Valley foster youth involved. In previous years, they have had to refuse some donations. Now they are able to take as many donations as possible to raise money for these shopping sprees.
Tidings for Teens is scheduled 7-9 p.m. Aug. 7. Donations can be sent via check made out to Tidings for Teens and addressed to 25152 Springfield Ct., Valencia, 91355, or via Venmo, @Tammey-Mai. All donations will be matched by Augusta Financial, dollar for dollar.
To view previous articles on Tidings for Teens, visit bit.ly/3o7lIUs and bit.ly/3o8MtHO.
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