Making A Diﬀerence

from Atlanta Intown - February 2014

by Rough Draft Atlanta: Atlanta Intown, Reporter Newspapers

Real Estate Briefs

Dual

By Clare S. Richie

Dana Spinola, owner and founder of the fab’rik clothing boutique franchise that offers “high style without attitude or sticker shock,” sees clothes as a catalyst to reach young women in need of encouragement or a second chance.

The fab’rik flagship store in Midtown was recently repurposed to a community boutique “to restore dignity, confidence and hope to young ladies who have lost theirs,” Spinola said.

This community boutique is the continuation of a journey that began in 2009 when Spinola and her friend, local TV news anchor Kim Fettig Bartlett, combined their passion for fashion, overflowing closets, and altruism by launching free shopping sprees for struggling teens.

“We put out a call for donations and 500 bags showed up,” Spinola said, noting that partners like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta helped put them in touch with teens in need.

At the sprees, volunteers sorted clothes, set up the store, and helped each teen pick out a special outfit. “Shopping with dignity made the girls feel valued,” according to free fab’rik manager Rachel Large.

In addition, the sprees demonstrated the abundance of donations, volunteers, and girls in needed a helping hand.

By the summer of 2013, the faith-based nonprofit was ready to expand from in-store shopping sprees to a community boutique. free fab’rik is now open to the public with most merchandise priced from $2 to $20. Profits fund monthly sprees and a new six-month vocational training and mentorship program for women searching for a hand up.

The City of Refuge referred the first four participant stylists,

The City of Refuge recommended that Chosen and LaSae become stylists at free fab’rik to help them learn a trade, life skills and help young women restore their dignity and confidence.

Chosen and LaSae. Over a six-month period, free fab’rik will teach them retail job skills and provide mentors to foster personal, professional and spiritual growth. Once these women complete the paid training program this spring, they will have a job reference and assistance in finding a permanent position.

Chosen is grateful for the opportunity. “I can learn from here. I was down before. This is a step.” She likes learning skills that she can apply to her own life. As Chosen learns how to track store expenses, she can apply those life skills to managing her own money and career.

LaSae has a sweet way with customers and enjoys helping them pick out their clothes. Thanks to free fab’rik, her message to other struggling women is “Don’t give up. Stay strong. Keep looking forward. You are valuable. You have support. You can work toward a safe home and a job that you will love.” free fab’rik is located at 1114 West Peachtree St. in Midtown. Visit freefabrik.org to volunteer, drop oﬀ your donations, shop with aid of a stylist, or make a gift. e First Tee of Atlanta, in partnership with Georgia Power, has announced that elementary school students in 18 Atlanta Public Schools will begin receiving The First Tee National School Program as part of physical education instruction. The program integrates character education and health lessons along with basic golf instruction. For more, visit thefirstteeatlanta.org.

The Atlanta Board of Education voted unanimously to elect Courtney D. English as its new board chair and Nancy M. Meister as vice chair, each of whom will serve in their leadership position for two years. The elections were held last month during the first board meeting of the year, where six new members and three returning members were sworn into office (pictured) to serve four-year terms. The new and returning members of the Atlanta Board of Education are Leslie Grant, District 1; Byron D. Amos, District 2; Matt Westmoreland, District 3; Nancy M. Meister, Vice Chair, District 4; Steven Lee, District 5; Eshé P. Collins, District 6; Courtney D. English, Chair, At-Large Seat 7, Districts 1 and 2; Cynthia Briscoe Brown, At-Large Seat 8, Districts 3 and 4; Jason F. Esteves, At-Large Seat 9, Districts 5 and 6. For more information about the board, visit atlantapublicschools.us.

The students, staff and families from Primrose School of Midtown at Colony Square raised $6,365 for the Primrose Children’s Foundation. The money will be used to support Reach Out and Read, Save the Children and other organizations that serve children and families.

The DeKalb History Center is offering new programs for schools. School tours are currently being offered and can accommodate 60 students. Students of Georgia or Early U.S. History tour Decatur’s oldest home, the Benjamin Swanton House (circa 1825), and two original pioneer log cabins. They learn about early businesses in the area and what life was like in the mid-nineteenth century from actors portraying people from DeKalb’s history. Students conduct interviews with these historic figures, photograph them, and then return to school to write an article about them. For information, visit dekalbhistory.org.

Welcome to Haygood Preschool where we focus on providing programs to assist and guide children through the many facets of development, including mental, emotional, social and physical growth. Haygood’s developmental philosophy of learning, guides our curriculum and classroom activities.

Children are encouraged through our experiential curriculum to learn through actively engaging in hands-on activities, guided instruction and exploration of the world around them. Skills such as:

• Gross and Fine Motor skills

• Self-Expression/Self-Control

• Positive relationships with their peers and teachers

• Language and Literacy

• Mathematical reasoning and logical thinking

• Early Scientiﬁc Inquiry are fostered and deepened in a warm and nurturing environment.

Enrollment for the Fall 2014 is well on its way and we look forward to welcoming all returning and new Haygood students and families. Haygood Preschool offers half-day programs for children aged 15 months to 5 years.