Project 150 Reno is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping poorly housed, displaced, and disadvantaged high school students. The organization was formed in 2014 by a dedicated group of volunteers who began by collaborating with a handful of high schools to provide food, clothing, and school supplies, as well as sponsoring shopping days three times a year to distribute additional items to students in need. Fast forward nearly a decade, and those sponsored shopping trips have now evolved into a permanent boutique that provides basic needs to students on a weekly basis. Project 150 serves approximately 3500 local students from 30 different schools in Northern Nevada every year, 1500 of which are boutique shoppers.
The Project 150 Boutique used to operate from a warehouse in Sparks. In 2019, the boutique moved across town and into an unused building owned by The Bridge Church. The church generously handed over the keys to Project 150, letting them use the space for zero cost to the organization, which is critical since Project 150 is completely managed and run by unpaid volunteers.
Liz McFarland, the Volunteer Director of Project 150 Reno, puts aside 40-60 hours of her time each week for Project 150. “Back in 2019, we received a $1,000 donation, and we used the money to repaint, redo the floors, and even make the bathtub into a bench seat for the changing room,” Liz said. “Our volunteers do everything around here. We literally do every aspect ourselves.”
Project 150 collects teen-appropriate clothing, toiletries, non-perishable food, and school supplies year-round to support homeless, displaced, and disadvantaged high school students living in Reno/Sparks. Donations can be dropped off at the boutique located at 1340 Foster Drive, Reno, NV 89509. Their website can be found here: www.project150reno.org
Located within walking distance of several high schools and other non-profit headquarters, the Project 150 boutique is a treasure trove of new and gently-worn clothing items, shoes, accessories, hygiene products, and one of the more popular items; an alarm clock.
“A lot of the kids we serve don’t really have service or cell phones necessarily. It’s a luxury item,” Liz explains. “So we carry a lot of alarm clocks, they’re a hot commodity here.”
Project 150 also disperses a lot of bedding to students who live in crowded conditions. “Their bed is on the floor or on the couch. If we are giving them bedding or pillows, we make sure to ask them what their sleeping situation is so we know what to send them home with. Items like pillows and a comforter are often luxury items for some kids.”
There are no qualifications to utilize Project 150’s resources besides being a currently-enrolled high school student.
Truancy officers working at local high schools will often bring students with them to Project 150 to shop, or students can make their own appointments to swing by after class on early release days.
When a student arrives at the boutique – either on their own or accompanied by an advocate or truancy officer – they are assigned a “shopper” who will guide them through the mazes of clothing racks, helping them pick out items and making sure they leave with everything they need.
“Our best customers are truancy officers or re-engagement officers,” Liz said. “They’ll bring students with them who are usually in quite desperate need and distressing situations. We see kids that are in foster care or have been in sex trafficking situations. We also see kids that come here from the Congo or Afghanistan. A lot of the time, they have just arrived in America and have never been enrolled in school before, ever.”
Students can stop by once a semester to stock up on essentials, and end up leaving each trip with an overflowing tote bag of clothes, a fully-stocked hygiene kit, full snack bag, and a backpack.
Judith Ferrer is a Family Graduation Advocate at Reno High School who frequently stops by Project 150 to pick up items for the students that she works with.
“My role is to work with at-risk youth and students that have been deemed as not on track to graduate high school, very similar to a social worker,” Judy explains. “Some of the challenges may be not having food on the table at home, or they’re homeless. Many of the students I work with are in transitional living situations, one of their parents has been hospitalized or made redundant, or just don’t have the financial resources to buy shoes, clothing, and toiletries.”
On a recent visit, Judith left the boutique, arms laden with bags of food and other necessities to bring back to Reno High for a student.
As fast as Judith left, another shopper entered through the door ready to shop. A current senior at Procter R. Hug High School, this student had arrived for one of his last appointments before graduating.
Carol – a volunteer at Project 150 – immediately took the student under her wing. He was given a big tote bag to start filling as Carol walked him around the boutique, asking him what kinds of items he needs and whether he has outgrown the sizes he picked up last time. “For some kids, it’s very hard to come across clothes and some people just aren’t wealthy enough to be able to have any of the luxury stuff. This place helps out a lot, you can come here and get your school supplies and clothes so you’re ready for the new school year,” the student mentions.
“The first time I came here, I was kinda nervous and didn’t really want to do it. It felt embarrassing. But ever since the first time, I got used to it and I’m okay with it now. The clothes here are new and fashionable, and it does help you fit in better at school,” a student said.
Natasha Krogstad-Barnard is a long-term volunteer at Project 150, getting involved after one of her sons volunteered for the organization as part of a class community service assignment. “After I became aware of their need, I started bringing clothes down as my boys started to grow out of things,” says Natasha, a retired DEA agent who now spends her time at the Project 150 Boutique or mentoring college students at TMCC. “I get to help the kids that need help the most, and also get a chance to intervene a little bit with the young people and help guide them on the right path for their futures. So when kids come in, I start interacting with them. Some are talkative, others are not. We really just try to preach that they stay in school, that’s the main thing.”