This winter, participants in the Youth Program’s Teen Mentorship Initiative launched their first quarterly service project: a Holiday Rush Store. This store empowered local youth to shop for holiday gifts with dignity and independence.
Teen participants acted as personal shoppers, helping customers with selecting gifts by asking questions such as, “Who are you shopping for?” and “What are they interested in?” This helped create a welcoming environment while giving teens a chance to build connections with other youth in the community.
In addition to personal shopping assistance, the teen participants offered free gift-wrapping stations.
The Teen Mentorship Initiative participants were involved in every phase of the project, from helping design the store’s flyer and assisting shoppers to cleaning up after the event. They also made the decision that all proceeds from the store would go toward the free Winter Gear Room, furthering the store’s impact to meet more community needs. Through this experience, teens developed leadership, planning, and communication skills.
The Holiday Rush store was a big success. More than 70 youth shopped at the store, and over $500 was raised to support the free Winter Gear Room.
Projects like the Holiday Rush Store are a perfect example of Neighborhood House’s work, mission, and values: to create dignity for all while fostering a community that gives back to each other. By providing youth participants with opportunities to participate in service initiatives, they build confidence, develop life skills, and recognize their ability to create positive change in their community.
We are grateful to the teens who dedicated their time, creativity, and energy to making this project a success, as well as the community members and supporters who helped bring the Holiday Rush Store to life. Your support enables young people to lead with purpose, and we look forward to continuing this work together.
Learn how you can support Neighborhood House’s work by making a gift or becoming a volunteer.
