Chapel Hill businesses partner to offer discounted clothing to homeless

Local businesses — including some started by University students — are gaining exposure while bundling up the homeless this winter with the Clothing Community holiday sale.

On Saturday homeless clients will be able to purchase discounted clothes from Estate Boutique at 400 W. Rosemary Street.

A partnership between the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, five clothing brands and the Homeless Outreach Poverty Eradication committee of the Campus Y will provide $15 vouchers for participants to purchase items.

Kevin Ji, co-chairman of HOPE, said the event is important because it offers the homeless a chance they would not normally have.

“I think it’s a really nice gesture,” Ji said. “They might not usually have the opportunity to buy street apparel.”

Taurean Lewis, owner of Estate Boutique, said he agreed to host student brands at the event because it is important to support start-up and small businesses while helping out the community.

“I’ve definitely been in a situation where I’ve been in a tough time,” he said.

Hat-brand SEA, founded by senior David Baron, normally donates 25 percent of all proceeds to nonprofit organizations.

The color of the hats determine the cause that the money goes to, Baron wrote in an email.

White and black hats are associated with organizations helping to relieve domestic and global poverty.

“Saturday is about enabling a shopping experience for many who don’t usually have it,” Baron wrote in the email. “I’m excited about bringing the community together in that shared experience.”

Baron said he hopes the event will become a tradition and lasts beyond the holiday season.

Freshman Natalia Gonzalez, who founded jewelry brand Artwear by Natis in 2007, said her company decided to participate in order to support small businesses and the homeless population.

Artwear by Natis has expanded to four stores in four years.

“I want my brand to give back to the community through artwork because not everyone has the ability to give back through social work, traveling abroad, etc.,” she said. “This is my way of giving back with something that I am talented at.”

Gonzalez said this is the first time her brand will participate in this type of event.

“I hope that other locally owned stores in Chapel Hill come out and support the cause,” she said.

Gonzalez said she hopes the event will give her brand exposure and persuade other stores to carry her products.

Julie Pitts, a 2009 N.C. State graduate and Chapel Hill resident, helped start Woodville Inc., a company that uses wood in all of its products.

Pitts said the company’s involvement in the event will be a humbling and empowering experience.

“It feels great to touch so many different people from so many walks of life,” she said.

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