An exclusive Florida boutique opens only twice a month by appointment to treat some of the very best to a pampered shopping experience. ABC News recently featured Florida clothing boutique, The Twig, on Good Morning America, highlighting the store’s mission to make foster children feel a little more comfortable in their own skin through fashion.
The Twig is a clothing boutique located in Venice, Florida, that only services foster children. This boutique is open twice a month by appointment and provides clothing to foster children of all ages. Each child has a unique shopping experience with the option of a personal shopper to help them find the styles they are looking for to suit their unique look.
Foster mom Lynndsey Wilson who was shopping with her foster daughter Alexie spoke with GMA about what foster children go through when entering the system. Wilson said, “A lot of times the kids don’t come with anything and, depending on the age, we’re allotted a small allowance to get them shoes and clothes, but it never seems to be enough.”
Owner of The Twig, Dianne Weed, was well aware of the issue foster children face before opening her store in May 2016. Weed, who herself adopted a child from foster care expressed to GMA her mission of making foster children feel valued while providing the much-needed clothing they may not otherwise have the privilege of being provided.
Weed spoke with GMA about the humble beginnings of the store stating, “‘I pitched the idea to my husband in February, and we opened our doors in May,” Weed said. “Once I had the idea, things just started showing up at my door, and the community has continued to step up in a really big way.’”
All foster children, newborn to age 17, are welcome to shop once a month at The Twig. Hosting about 150 kids per Saturday, The Twig relies heavily on monetary and clothing donations to continue their mission of making foster children feel special and loved. For foster children like Alexie, the once-a-month visit is more than just shopping. The Twig is an experience she looks forward to each month; her foster mom told GMA, “She absolutely loves it there. It’s a bad month if we don’t go.”
For more information on The Twig or to find out how you can help, visit their webpage here.
