Love to Shop; Shop to Love

Recall that invigorating feeling you get when you’ve made the perfect bargain-found purchase . . . the adrenaline rush of finding something unique and vintage . . . the giddiness with which you practically tear open the bag when you get home to try your latest closet treasure on.

Now, imagine that the garment you are now in proud possession of is tangible proof of a donation you’ve just made. That daring little Pucci blouse or Free People tank just bought a battered woman or child a meal at the Lotus house. Voila! Ladies, welcome to guilt-free and philanthropic shopping.

The Lotus Thrift, located on 203 N.W. 36th Street, is a boutique thrift store where ALL of the proceeds go to fund The Lotus House shelter. Aside from being a wonderfully relevant cause, the merchandise itself is absolutely worthy of browsing. High-end designers are found next to vintage no-names, brand new garments with tags still attached to well-worn jeans can be found all over the store. The staff working the boutique are down-to-earth people and helpful employees who either volunteer or come from the shelter to work.

The Lotus House is a shelter located in Overtown, Miami, ran by the Sundari Foundation, Inc. The shelter is not just transitional housing for women and children but a prototypical safe haven where they are offered classes, workshops and counseling to provide them with tools necessary to integrate into society as productive and self-sufficient members of society. Some of the comprehensive support services include individual and group counseling, computer lessons, job training and placement, medical and mental health services and access to an array of community resources. There are also education workshops and a plethora of enrichment activities which include art, creative writing, yoga, dance, crafts alternative paths to healing and self-exploration. The shelter also caters to pregnant women and infants; they are provided with pre-natal care, birthing and parenting classes, baby supplies, infant medical care and daycare assistance to name a few.

It is rehabilitation for the mind, body and spirit of up to 130 women and children annually. A break from traditional shelters in which just offer basic necessities to victims of domestic abuse, drug abuse, homelessness , financial woes or mental illness, The Lotus House is a departure from the traditional to ensure a lower probability of return to a shelter for these victims by instilling them with a new sense of worth and self-purpose. Their belief is that with renewed self-esteem and armed with empowerment through knowledge of new skill sets, women are much less likely to fall into their previous self-damaging cycles.

Now you may simultaneously provide two women with having needs met; YOUR basic need for affordable, unique style and another woman’s basic need to heal in a holistic environment . . . as the store’s motto offers: “Love to Shop and Shop to Love”.

For more information on the The Sundari Foundation, The Lotus House and The Lotus Thrift store or to make donations, please visit their website at www.lotushouseshelter.org

By Iris Acevedo