Fashion Show For The Homeless

The estimated number of homeless children in Pennsylvania exceeds 40,000.

The Homeless Education Found, a nonprofit organization focused on the goal of giving homeless children equal educational opportunities, is now being aided by fashion. At the Pittsburgh Playwrites Theatre on the 28th and 29th of January, Model and Talent National’s Project Evolution held the fashion shows and launch parties benefiting the Homeless Children’s Education fund.

“I thought you know, all these people and all the stuff that we do everyday. If we just took that one or two days and made it benefit somebody else, it could be a beautiful thing, “ said Dawn Lily the event creator and coordinator.

After seeing the staggering numbers of homeless children in her community, Lily decided her team needed to help this foundation. Everyone involved including models, artists and retailers volunteered their time and effort to help their community. “I couldn’t do it without all of these people,” said Lily. “This has definitely been a community effort.” Approximately 50 to 100 models walked the catwalk at the event to live performances from local artists of Pittsburgh.

“Homelessness is a really big issue, and I think that it’s an issue that’s not really talked about enough,” said Zachary Marsh office and events manager from the Homeless Children’s Found. Marsh is one of the many people working at the HCF to raise awareness of children whose parent’s have lost their homes. One of their main goals since their establishment in 1999 has been to help the children maintain wellbeing in an academic environment. “It’s touching to hear all the stories and to hear that we are really making a difference in the lives of these children,” said Marsh. The HCF campaigns for these children to be guaranteed the same education as their peers who have homes in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The foundation received around 500 dollars from the Project Evolution fashion show this year. “The biggest benefit is the awareness, said Marsh, “that was more befitting than any of the money.”

The online clothing store Crazyhotclothes.com was one of the retail volunteers for the show. They are selling clothing with a goal to not only help others but to aid the vintage revolution. Vintage clothing is not the easiest thing to wear but they sell pieces that any young woman would wear. After clicking your way through pages of amazing clothing you find the hidden gem of crazyhotclothes.com, the blog. Ways to steal celebrity styles are posted on a constant and the best part is that similar pieces are almost always available for purchase. There is no better way than to use fashion to give back and crazyhotclothes.com agrees.

With the success of the January show there are definitive plans to make it an annual event. Project Evolution is starting to shine a light on fashion and art making a difference and not just in Pennsylvania. “We would definitely be up to doing an event like this again,” said Marsh.

For more information on Project Evolution and the Homeless Education Found, visit www.projectevo.org.