Bridge View and Focus Beyond Transition Services Host Eagle Lighthouse Boutique

Bridge View and Focus Beyond Transition Services created a fun new event for students this year: an in-house pop-up called the Eagle Lighthouse Boutique (named for the logos of each school, respectively).

The goal was to give our middle-school- to adult-aged students a chance to enjoy some age-appropriate social interactions. Shopping with friends is common among this age group, but challenges such as transportation, behaviors, and anxiety often mean that our students miss out on the opportunity to participate in this fun social activity.

This two-day shopping extravaganza allowed students to visit at their leisure -- in small groups or on their own -- to browse and select from the boutique's merchandise of gently used clothing, shoes and accessories (stocked through the generous donations of our staff). All items were free, but students were encouraged to take only what they needed or loved and thus preserve a delightful experience for everyone! 

The event was a great success, and we surpassed our goals with flying colors! Ahead of the event, students also assumed tasks of marketing, organization, and display, expanding upon skills they had already learned in our jobs programs. One marker of the event's success was the constant buzz of delight and connection in the room:  it was common to hear laughter, friends asking friends “Does this look good on me?" or just chatting about hobbies and plans. 

Many students decided to pick up Valentine's Day gifts for friends and family and took advantage of gift-wrapping that was also offered on-site.

But probably the best indicator of success was the comment that seemed to be on the tip of everyone's tongues: “When can we do this again?”

The organizers would like to thank the staff for all of the donations, time and talent that they gave to this event.