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Homeless, not hopeless.
By Karen Melendez
On May 14, 2019 Caroline Boyden and Walter Plumb had Mrs. Turners Class go down to the leopard boutique and volunteer. The leopard boutique is made up of donated clothes and shoes. It is where students can go and get the things necessary for them and their family. It’s free and the only thing students have to do is write down their student number. East High School has around 80 homeless students in a student body of around 2,000. Almost two-thirds of the student body lives below the poverty line. Sixty-four percent of East High’s students are on fee waiver, and nearly 400 of the 2,000 students are from refugee families. Chris Barta created the leopard boutique, the stash and the washroom so kids would have access to basic necessities and be able to focus on school.
Before volunteering in the leopard boutique Caroline asked students and locals for either clothes or cash donations. Caroline and Walter had a bunch of clothes donated and $150 dollars in cash to buy bras and underwear because it is what the boutique was running low on. When the class went down to volunteer they sorted the clothes and put them in the accordingly spot. The class quickly got the job done. They then started to help decorate the boutique a bit and light it up with fairy lights. Chris Barta was so thankful that the class came down to help. The leopard boutique even has prom dresses and suits for students to be able to rent out. The boutique has made students feel welcomed and like they belong. East High has a supportive community who wants to break the poverty cycle and help students succeed. Sometimes students just need someone to remind them that there is hope.