When Allyson Ahlstrom was 14 years old, she had a hard time fitting in at school. Then her mom gave her a book called Generation Change, about teens who have made a difference in the world.
Teens are making massive waves these days; Katie Stagliano devoted her life to feeding the hungry when she was 9 years old by starting gardens around the country.
Allyson was so inspired by what others had done, she knew that she could make a positive change, too.
So she came up with Threads For Teens. The organization makes at-risk, underprivileged, and low-income teen girls feel like luxury shoppers for one day.
If you know someone who could use a self-esteem boost, you can nominate her for a chance to shop at Threads For Teens here.
Each girl gets to go in and pick out two outfits for free. They get to feel like they're actually going shopping, like anyone else would. Most importantly, they get to pick out their own clothes so that they can choose how they express themselves.
"I never thought about not being able to succeed, I mostly thought about how I could accomplish the clothing drive," Allyson told Huffington Post. "When starting a project, I think it's important to have big dreams, but to also be realistic about what will happen to begin with. For me, giving ten girls a new outfit was what I wanted to accomplish. I did not start out thinking about going on a national tour.”
Four years later, Threads For Teens has opened up its own store. Allyson has toured the country, visiting 47 states; raised $400,000; and helped 2,600 teen girls.
See how one shy girl was transformed by Threads for Teens below.
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