The story of Beaver senior Ellie Katz’s mobile clothing boutique, Joyful Threads, started with a trip Ellie took with her family. While visiting a food market, Ellie spotted a booth that advertised a ‘pay what you can’ approach to grocery shopping. Ellie watched as shoppers and vendors donated what they could; “everyone would drop off food and people who couldn’t afford to go to the market could pay a penny–or nothing at all–for the goods,” Ellie shares. “It made me think about the power of choice and dignity that comes with it. It was really inspiring.”
Ellie came up with the idea for a mobile clothing boutique after combining her passion for clothing with her love of children. A key aspect of her idea was that of choice, which other clothing donation programs often lack. “If I were to be handed a bag of clothes typical for girls my age, I don’t know if I’d wear everything,” Ellie states. “Clothes are so important for self expression, and getting the chance to pick out what clothes you wear is a part of that.”
Ellie pitched the idea for Joyful Threads to The Home for Little Wanderers. After some back and forth, a partnership was secured. With clothes donated from Ellie’s network of friends and family, a trailer found on Facebook Marketplace, and Ellie’s family at her side, Joyful Threads opened its doors at a community event hosted by the Home for Little Wanderers. With hundreds of families visiting and countless articles of clothing being donated, the event was a massive success. And it was just the beginning.
My favorite part of the entire experience was definitely seeing the kids come through. We often don’t realize how close we are to people that really need our support, so being able to immerse myself in that and make a change was inspiring.
Ellie Katz '25
Joyful Threads caught the attention of the Boston Celtics’ Heroes Among Us program, which honors individuals who have made an impact on the lives of others. Ellie recalls the range of emotions she experienced when taking center court to accept the award; “it was terrifying. . . but it was also an amazing experience,” she says. “It made me consider that this is something I can keep doing and expand.”
Ellie plans to continue expanding Joyful Threads in the future. While her current focus is on the college admission process, Ellie is looking forward to finding ways to collaborate with clothing brands, securing new community partners, and bringing Joyful Threads to as many people as possible.
For anyone wanting to make an impact on their community, I would say just go for it. It can be a lot of work but when you really love it and care about the cause, you can make the world a better place.
Ellie Katz '25