Providing More than Clothing
When young girls enter the clothing boutique Loft 181, not only will they walk out with a new wardrobe, but they will also receive newfound hope, healing, and acceptance. Serving at-risk teenage girls, many of whom are in foster care or are survivors of human trafficking, Loft 181 provides a safe, welcoming environment to shop for clothes, form meaningful connections, and hear about the love of Jesus.
Every girl who shops at Loft 181 works with a dedicated personal shopper and can take home as many clothes and pieces of jewelry as she desires, free of charge, all while getting the experience of shopping in a high-end boutique. For many of these girls, they come into foster care or are removed from situations involving trafficking with only the clothes on their back. As they heal and grow from their traumatic experiences, clothing can be instrumental in the process of affirming stability and self-worth.
Loft 181 provides more than just clothing—it provides hope and confidence.
Hillsborough County Commissioner Donna Cameron-Cepeda recently awarded Loft 181 a commendation for their transformational work and impact on survivors of human trafficking and foster children.
In an interview with ABC Action News Tampa Bay, Loft 181 Manager Jennifer Whitten described the purpose of Loft 181,
“At Loft 181, first and foremost, our goal is to offer love and value to each girl who walks through the door.”
Cultivating New Partnerships
Mission Work with Daughters in Christ Ministries
After attending One More Child’s Women of Compassion event earlier this year, Pastor Sandra Astacio, president of Daughters in Christ Ministries, a local nonprofit, felt inspired and wanted to partner with Loft 181’s mission.
Daughters in Christ Ministries hosted Human Trafficking Awareness Workshops with One More Child’s resources and collected supplies for the young women served by Loft 181. The Human Trafficking Awareness Workshops were a success—with two informative sessions taking place in Florida’s Polk and Pinellas Counties. Each workshop also hosted a successful drive, which provided Loft 181 with a truckload of supplies including toiletries, shoes, clothing, makeup, and more.
These events marked the beginning of a meaningful and powerful partnership between Loft 181 and Daughters in Christ Ministries.
‘Kids 4 a Cause’ Make an Impact 4 the Community
After a recent news story on Loft 181 aired, our team was contacted by a local nonprofit, Kids 4 a Cause, who wanted to partner with Loft 181.
Kids 4 a Cause, started by four young men, ages 14-18, is a local nonprofit that seeks to “give back” to the community by supporting a different cause each month. The initiative began after two of these young men experienced incredible support from their community following the loss of their father—this encouragement inspired them to pay it forward.
Kids 4 a Cause chose Loft 181 as a recent monthly partner— they held a clothing drive and donated 50 reusable goody bags stuffed with fun items through a partnership with another local nonprofit, Life is a Donation. Kids 4 a Cause ultimately collected over 1,000 items to donate to Loft 181.
Our team at Loft 181 is moved by their generosity, kindness, and desire to make a meaningful impact in their community.
God’s Miraculous Plan—From Satanist to Saved
As a core part of its ministry, Loft 181 provides every girl that comes through with an opportunity to learn about the love of God. Loft 181 has a “Gospel room” as a dedicated space to read the Bible and have a discussion about the hope found in Jesus.
One young girl in foster care came to Loft 181 for a shopping day and was determined not to encounter Jesus—but God had a different plan.
This girl’s name was Gwen* and she came to Loft 181 with a group of four other girls. After they finished their personal shopping experience, they headed to the Gospel room. Gwen made it clear she was a satanist and wasn’t interested in anything related to God or the Bible—however, she stayed in the room while the team shared the Gospel and prayed.
A few weeks later, Gwen came back to the Loft and told our team she had something to share. Gwen said she left the Gospel room adamant to not let anything she heard impact her—but she couldn’t get the good news of Jesus out of her mind.
Prior to visiting Loft 181, Gwen would watch satanist content on social media—but in the days following her visit, Gwen noticed that she was suddenly seeing videos of people who were former satanists but found the hope of Jesus and began following Him.
Gwen decided that following Jesus was worth a try—she prayed to God and accepted Jesus as her savior. The very same day, the process of reunification with her mom began, something Gwen had been longing for. Gwen told our team she was now 100 percent sure God was real.
Gwen described herself as a “baby Christian” and is excited to grow her relationship with Jesus. The team at Loft 181 rejoiced with Gwen, their new sister in Christ, and offered her support as she continues her faith journey.
We are blessed and honored that we get to be a part of God’s plan of restoration here on earth. May every single young girl who walks through Loft 181’s doors experience the grace, hope, and love of Jesus Christ!
*Name changed for privacy.
