‘Gettin’ by is not enough’ | How a Girard boutique helps women and reveals the realities of poverty
Thrive 10:10 is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting the needs of local women, building relationships and educating the community on the reality of poverty.
The organization was founded in 2021, but its pilot program, Ruth’s Boutique, started in 2019.
Ruth’s Boutique is a once-per-month boutique which offers feminine hygiene products, makeup, purses, accessories, hair products and other donated items, free of charge. The next boutique is scheduled for May 7.
“What we found was there were studies that said that there were some women and girls who were missing work and school because they didn’t have access to menstrual products. So, of course it impacts, you know, work; it impacts finances; it impacts grades; self esteem,” said Meghan DeGregory, operations director of Thrive 10:10.
Thrive 10:10 operates out of Girard First United Methodist Church. It’s spearheaded by DeGregory, while church pastor Rev. Vicky Kelly serves as executive director and assistant pastor Donald Smith serves as president.
“We do have attachments to the church, but we are a separate entity and we do pay rent so that we can make sure that we are maintaining that distance,” DeGregory said.
Since becoming a registered non-profit in 2021, Ruth’s Boutique has run under the auspices of Thrive 10:10, with plans to expand its programs, like the “Bridges Out of Poverty” program the organization hosted last fall.
“Bridges” is an educational framework designed to give social and legal workers insight on the “hidden rules” of poverty and how to meet people’s needs. The class was taught by Youngstown State University’s Angie Cameron, a licensed professional clinical counselor.
“If you’ve not been poor, you don’t know all the barriers that can come with that. And we wanted to make sure that people had access to some of that information,” DeGregory said.
She said Thrive 10:10’s newest project is a program called “Getting Ahead” with the slogan, “Gettin’ by is not enough,” in reference to the principles taught in “Bridges.”
“There are barriers that are different for different people from different classes. [It teaches] people how to find their strengths in their community, how to look at navigating some of those barriers and begin to build a better life for them and their families,” DeGregory said.
Thrive 10:10 will host a chili cook-off from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on May 7 at the church, 22 N. Market St. Girard. The event is open to the public and will feature homemade chili and desserts, karaoke, basket raffles and a tour of Ruth’s Boutique.
“We’re looking for folks to become partners with us [for the chili cook off], whether it be in product or volunteer hours or just getting the word out” — but also by donating, DeGregory said.
Get involved
- To learn more, visit Thrive 10:10 and Ruth’s Boutique on Facebook.
- Community members can help Thrive 10:10 and Ruth’s Boutique by buying hygeine products via its Amazon Wish List.
- To become a volunteer or learn more about upcoming events, email Thrive1010MV@gmail.com.
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 5:00 AM.