Home Start’s Thrift Boutique social enterprise provides revenue to support our life-changing programs. The store also provides a supportive setting for young mothers to develop job skills and gain work experience as they move toward greater independence. Home Start provides a hand up, not just a handout.
Meet Mercedes who recently began working at Home Start Thrift Boutique to gain more job experience. She and her 4-year-old son David are part of our Maternity Shelter Program which provides stable housing and supportive services, including valuable parenting skills, for young homeless mothers here in San Diego County. Mercedes loves working in the boutique, particularly interacting with customers and receiving new donations. She enjoys working in the clothing room, sorting through donated items and choosing the best of the best to be displayed in the store.Mercedes hopes to graduate from college in the near future and to become a sign language interpreter, to help serve underprivileged families. In her free time, she enjoys spoiling her son and going to see live music. Mercedes is expecting a baby girl, due in a couple months. 
Stacey started working at our Thrift Boutique in May, as a way to gain more job skills such as customer service and merchandising. Stacey and her 1-year-old son AJ are part of our Maternity Shelter Program which provides housing and supportive services, including valuable parenting skills, for young homeless mothers here in San Diego County. Stacey loves working in the boutique, particularly pricing merchandise and meeting all the great customers who shop there. She hopes to someday become an Early Child Educator and in her free-time enjoys spending time with her son, sewing and making jewelry.