A shop-our-closet event at a yoga studio in Montreal’s Griffintown borough Saturday is raising money for a local women’s shelter.
The idea started as a way for a few Montreal-area Modo Yoga teachers to declutter their lives, starting with their wardrobes.
It snowballed into something greater when a few teachers said they wanted to find a way to give back to the community.
“We always forget, because we’re so caught up in our own celebrations, that there are a lot of people out there who struggle to celebrate during the holidays,” said co-organizer Rachel Lau.
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The clothes gathered will be thrifted, and the money raised — as well as the clothes not sold — donated to Logifem, a women’s shelter in Montreal.
“Not everyone is into second-hand clothes, so we’re also co-teaching a $5 karma yoga class,” said co-organizer Erin Chiarelli.
“That way everyone who wants to give back, can.”
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Logifem, founded in 1988, provides a safe haven for women on an emergency basis.
“We’re very grateful,” Sally Richmond, director of Logifem told Global News last week.
“It’s always nice when people think of giving back, and of us, during the holidays.”
Some call the shelter home for one or two nights, others on a long-term basis for up to five years.
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The women, and sometimes their children, turn to Logifem for many different reasons, including financial difficulties, domestic violence, referral from youth protection and more.