The Street Store
Pop-up shop provides free clothing to local homeless community
KVUE — A new shopping experience provides dignity on top of essentials to Austin's homeless, thanks to tech start-up SpareFoot.
At The Street Store, homeless men and women pick out five free pieces of clothing with a volunteer's help. Some walk up with socks and no shoes, needing the basics.
"It makes me feel important. I feel normal," said shopper Larry Berry, who has been homeless for a year. "[I'm] trying to look for a job and get some nice clothes."
Austin start-up Sparefoot organized the event at Central Presbyterian Church near the firm's offices. "They can come and actually shop and pick out things that fit them and clothes they actually enjoy wearing," said Sparefoot employee and volunteer coordinator Storie Cunningham.
The idea came from Cape Town, South Africa, where volunteers created a rent-free, pop-up shop. It's been replicated 200 times across the globe. This was the first in Austin.
SpareFoot employees donated all of the clothing in various sizes. The company is planning another pop-up store for the winter.
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