Single Parent Spotlight

“Kelly” was raised in a lovely Central California beach community in a loving home by parents who expected her to become a responsible and independent grown woman. She felt in control of her destiny and was poised to raise her own children with these values. She had many plans and dreams for her family. But as many people have experienced, one day you feel in control of your life’s path, and then things change so that any control you thought you had slowly erodes. Sadly, the man she loved who was once her rock succumbed to a growing addiction to his prescription medications, and this changed the entire dynamic of their family.
Her childhood and early adulthood experiences had never prepared her for this kind of chaos. She was not even sure exactly what domestic violence was until it gradually escalated from verbal abuse and insults, to hair-trigger temper tantrums and eventually into bruises and injuries to her. Numerous incidents occurred, and the Sheriff’s officers recommended that she seek a restraining order, which she researched and obtained. Then, she became aware of the Domestic Violence Center in Santa Clarita.  They provided her with more information about legal matters and also provided a court advocate to accompany her to court proceedings. Next came the stress of financial instability and worries over rent, food and other necessities. A friend of hers told her about Single Mothers Outreach (SMO). She learned about their services of therapy, counseling and help with school supplies for the kids. Her family was adopted at Christmas so that they had a tree and some very nice gifts for the kids. There were also donations of food courtesy of Whole Foods and referral to other resources to help with other essential expenses and education. She is especially grateful to SMO for the opportunity to attend FPU (Financial Peace University, designed by New York Times best-selling author and radio host Dave Ramsey, America’s trusted voice on money), where she learned how to budget, beat debt, and build a legacy.

She received the right amount of support and non-judgmental encouragement to help her heal herself and concentrate on making life safe and sane for the kids. She thinks SMO is awesome because their mission matches her goals. They aim at getting families back to independent living. SMO helped to restore her confidence in her ability to be a responsible parent with realistic hopes and dreams for her family. She is still registered to receive services from SMO as she works her way through the GAIN program. GAIN (Greater Avenues for Independence) is a Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services program that provides employment-related services to CalWORKs participants to help them find employment, stay employed, and move on to higher paying jobs, which will ultimately lead to self-sufficiency and independence. Kelly was also a recipient of the 2015 Live Your Dream Award (formerly the Women’s Opportunity Awards) offered by Soroptimist International. This award assists women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation.

Kelly plans to obtain a degree in social work and to eventually help others thrive. At this time of her life, she is emphasizing education. She is dedicating herself to working hard as a student and a single mom to set a great example for her kids about being able to accomplish your dreams through hard work and perseverance. That’s why the support she has received is such a blessing to her and her family.

If you have been to the Closet recently, then you know things have changed.  If you have not, there are some very good reasons you should stop by:

1. On March 16, 2015, we celebrated the Grand Opening of the Men’s section. We have a separate room filled with men’s clothing including suits, dress shirts, casual pants, shorts and casual shirts as well as ties, shoes and belts.
2. Spring has sprung with very warm weather early this year. As a result, we have seen a large number of donations as people start their spring cleaning chores and organize their closets at home. We have recently had several sale price days as low as half-off to make room for our newest donations. Everyday prices are already low. You can bring donations of your gently-used clothing any time we are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Sunday. We provide receipts for your taxes.
3. Some retail stores often donate clothing with their original tags.
4. We have an entire room of evening clothes including gowns, shawls and accessories. We also have some high-end designer pieces generously donated. Whether you wear a model’s size or a plus size, we have a nice selection.
5. We have private dressing rooms, and you can get help putting together a special outfit. Members of the staff have professional experience dressing customers for charity events, televised award shows, weddings, proms and career wear.
6. Depending on the day, you may find premium designer items featuring leather, fur, hand-sewn crystal beading, feather boas, and real cowboy boots.
7. It’s guilt-free shopping because all of the proceeds from the Closet go to the non-profit Single Mothers Outreach. Our registered Single Moms can shop the closet for free one day a month for themselves and their kids.
8. Via Tucci occupies a small space within the Closet. It’s a retail boutique owned by Laurie Auger that features new clothes with a comfy casual boho look so that you feel good while looking great. Laurie is also a volunteer at the Closet.
9. Our volunteer staff is friendly and helpful.
10. We serve hot and cold refreshments and would love to meet you.