Depending on handouts from other people is dehumanizing.
But sometimes homeless folks have to take what they can get … even if it’s not their style … picking through bins of someone else’s old clothes, hoping to find something that fits.
Street Store wanted to give them the experience of shopping.
They wanted to let homeless people express their own style. They wanted to let them browse through nicely arranged items, just like regular shoppers.
Social media helped connect people with extra clothes to those who needed them.
Street Store advertised on Twitter and Facebook so people knew where to go and when.
The setup was simple.
They hung up the posters, and people came — donors and shoppers, side by side.
Too far from Cape Town to participate?
Don’t worry — the posters are freely available on their website.
You could make this happen in your town.
A pop-up store doesn’t cost much to create — no rent, no employees, just paper. As of Nov. 20, 2014, 1,800 people have applied to host stores around the world.
Dignity doesn’t cost much. But it matters a lot.
Check out the video for more stories from people enjoying their first shopping spree in a long time.
