10/12/2026
Last night was our annual Jeans For Teens event at Target and Maurices! Huge huge shout out to their staff who helped with the event.
As students started to arrive, I was reminded of things I am so blessed to have and how there are so many families that struggle every day to make ends meet.
When I started Jeans for Teens 10 years ago just by saving money from my real estate transactions to help Teens in need, I had no idea how creating a nonprofit in 2019 and working along some amazing people in our community on our board, would change me as a person.
To watch kids get a smile on their face over a simple pair of jeans and to hear their stories is incredible.
This year we served 45 families some with multiple Teens.
One mother thanked us over and over. She went on to say that Teens are embarrassed and don't want to or are afraid to ask for help for fear of being ridiculed at school but that this program was a blessing to her financially as a single mom.
Another mom told me she had never been able to afford a new pair of jeans for her daughter,, who is in 7th grade. She had always had hand-me-downs or thrift store clothes. Her daughter was beaming as she said she had never got to try on new jeans and she absolutely loved them and couldn't wait to wear them to school.
$30....I could never have imagined how $30 could instill so much pride in one teenager or change the financial status of a struggling parent.
Thank you to Central Bank of Branson for their donation pictured with Roger Frieze, Jenny Peshel Frieze, myself, Jammie Allen and Darryl Moore.
My cup runneth over....
