Category: Fashion

The Bella Project 2016: The Fairy Godmothers Are Back

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Bella Project

Audrey Hepburn said, “I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls.” The “fairy godmothers” at The Bella Project believe this too. The annual Bella Boutique will be held on Saturday February 27, 2016 at the Central Union Church, Parish Hall from 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The rainbow sea of dresses at the Bella Boutique, that are given free of charge to high school women whose families are struggling financially, are overwhelmingly beautiful. Young ladies also leave with free shoes, accessories, and make up.

Through this event, The Bella Project strives to promote self-confidence, individual beauty, and diversity among teenage women in Hawaii. In addition, they know that they have the support and encouragement to grow, succeed, and contribute to the community. Some may even return to The Bella Project to reconnect with their female role models, and pay it forward to the next generation of young women.

Some of the types of families that benefit from The Bella Project are facing challenges such as terminal illnesses, being laid off from work, or just having to live from paycheck to paycheck. During the 2014-2015 academic year, 500 dresses were given out on Oahu, Maui, and Molokai.

If you are a “Bella” and would like to receive a dress:
It is recommended that you sign up online through Eventbrite. Walk-ins will be taken after those with an appointment. You will need a valid high school ID to check in or voucher from their counselor if they are pursuing a GED. You can only pick up one dress for yourself, so make sure your friends sign up as well.

If you are a “fairy god-person” and would like to donate or volunteer:
Donations can be dropped off at Central Union Church – Parish Hall on the day of the event. On all other days throughout the year, donations maybe dropped off at Verde Kaimuki or at Tea at 1024 in downtown Honolulu. Monetary donations can be given at the event or using PayPal on The Bella Project website or contacting them directly. 100% of the proceeds go towards putting together each event as The Bella Project is run entirely by volunteers.

The Bella Boutiques need volunteers to do everything from set up, registration, personal shoppers, and breaking down. You can review the detailed volunteer page on The Bella Project website. As a volunteer, you’re not just helping girls pick out a dress. You get to know them, see their faces light up and forget that they have challenges at home. Volunteers go home knowing they made it possible for a young woman to participate in an important right of passage.

For more information about The Bella Project go to their website or like their Facebook Page.  You may also view their video on You Tube.

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The Bella Project: Hawaii’s Own Fairy Godmother

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image“Every bella deserves a beautiful prom,” is the mantra of The Bella Project.  Sometimes it is financially hard for families to buy a dress when they are trying to just put food on the table.  Enter fairy godmothers! On Saturday, March 1, 2014 The Bella Project will be holding their annual Bella Boutique at the Central Union Church, Parish Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  As a non-profit organization, The Bella Project provides new and virtually new dresses and accessories to high school women free of charge.  Dresses donated by the local community, boutiques, pageant queens like 2013 Mrs. USA Universal Amanda Brad and The Bella Project’s own President Valerie Schmidt Mrs. Ultimate Elite 2014 are beautiful, stylish and in excellent condition.

The Bella Project was founded by Amanda Ross in 2009. In 2011, she moved away from Hawaii and turned it over to The Junior Leaugue of Honolulu.  Three members from The Junior League, Valerie Schmidt, Tracie Young, and Charise Shigeta operated it and converted it into a 501(c)3 again independent from The Junior League.   These ladies are currently the board members who are the leadership of The Bella Project.

The young women that come to The Bella Project leave with more than just a dress, shoes, accessories and makeup.  With a hundred volunteers, each girl is paired up with a female adult volunteer to talk about what is going on in their world.  Volunteers are strong professional women, moms, aunties, and mentors. For many of the young high school girls, it is the first time that someone has ever told them that they are beautiful or to have a strong female presence in their life.  Here are some of the inspiring stories from those who have benefited from The Bella Project:

From a daughter:  My mom was diagnosed with cancer, all of our money is going to her treatment.  I am hoping that you will allow me to get a dress so my mom doesn’t have to worry about one more thing.

From a mom:  My husband has been laid off since last year, now my daughter can get something nice from you.

From a mom:  We live paycheck to paycheck.  You have so many dresses for my daughter to choose from.

The goal of The Bella Project is to keep high school girls in school and reward them for continuing their education despite what is going on around them.  In addition, they should know that there are people rooting for them and encouraging them to grow, succeed and become contributors to the community and maybe even return to The Bella Project as a volunteer to reconnect with their female mentors, thank them for their experience, pay it forward and say, “I was once like you, you are beautiful and you will make a difference!”

For more information on how to get a dress or make donations like The Bella Project Facebook page and check out their webssite:

http://www.thebellaprojecthawaii.org