House of Hope Boutique Originals
“House of Hope Boutique Originals,” or HOHBO, began as a social service/employment development program in 2007. The program started at one of the House of Hope residential facilities, Fran Conway House, as a social service initiative designed to give residents an opportunity to express themselves positively through creativity and to provide a structured environment in which to accomplish a concrete goal.
We currently have a workshop in the lower level of Fran Conway House equipped with sewing machines and stocked with raw materials such as fabrics, old jeans, beads, discarded jewelry, etc. The women residents from all of our housing facilities gather several times per week to make different products, including decorative cloth wine gift bags, pouches, and purses. The items are then sold at local craft fairs, beauty shops, local area liquor stores, and at a “community service” kiosk at the Warwick Mall on selected dates throughout the year.
In 2008 we are interested in transforming the project from a “crafts initiative” into a full-time business initiative. Not only will this provide income for our residents, but it will help build their self-esteem and strengthen their independence.