One year ago, The Sharing Shelf, the nonprofit clothing bank serving Westchester County, opened its Teen Boutique, which provides free clothes to Westchester teenagers in financial need. In marking the first anniversary, The Sharing Shelf shared that the need is greater than ever.
In the first four months of 2025, monthly requests for clothing from the Teen Boutique have grown 46%, compared to the eight months in which the Teen Boutique was open in 2024. From May to December 2024, the Teen Boutique received 694 requests – an average of 87 per month. In the first four months of 2025, 510 requests were received – an average of 127 per month.
The Teen Boutique operates as a free store, specifically tailored for teens, situated on-site adjacent to The Sharing Shelf’s clothing bank in Port Chester. The Teen Boutique enables low-income teens, referred by schools and nonprofit organizations, to select their own clothing at no cost in a private and dignified setting that has the look and feel of a real boutique. Creation of the Teen Boutique, which is located at 47 Purdy Ave., was made possible by a transformational grant from Impact100 Westchester.
In the first quarter of 2025, requests for clothing for children of all ages (0 to 19) grew 37.5%, compared to the same period last year. The Sharing Shelf received 1,572 requests in the first three months of 2025, compared to 1,143 requests in that period of 2024.
“What we’re seeing in these numbers is evidence of growing clothing insecurity in real time,” said Deborah Blatt, founder and executive director of The Sharing Shelf. “Census data and other sources will confirm rising poverty years later. These numbers reveal it now.”
While Westchester is among the nation’s wealthiest counties, its poverty rate for children under five was 11.1% in 2023 (the latest data), according to Westchester Children’s Association. More than 67,000 children and teens live in poverty or a low-income home in Westchester.
The Sharing Shelf is a nonprofit clothing bank serving Westchester County. It operates a warehouse in Port Chester, where new and gently used clothes are collected, volunteers screen the clothes for quality and the clothes are distributed for free to low-income children and teens through social-service agencies, schools and other nonprofits. In each case, the ultimate recipient is a child or teen in need and the clothing provided is both age- and season-appropriate, fits properly and boosts the individual’s esteem and confidence.
