ATLANTA — Second chances come in all forms. For Dana Spinola, second chances come by way of beautiful clothing.
Founder of Atlanta-based boutique franchise Fab'rik, Spinola started franchising her boutique in 2006, but with success came a call to ignite true change in her community.
"With Fab'rik, we can sell clothing, but what about all the women that can't afford to buy that?" Spinola said.
So she launched Free Fab'rik, a nonprofit aimed at offering free shopping sprees to win in need. The nonprofit styles fashion with hope to offer a layer of healing to women who are recovering from abuse, exploitation, and homelessness.
The nonprofit assists women in local shelters such as City of Refuge, where some women arrive with nothing but the clothes on their back.
"We're not only providing clothing, but we're providing them the confidence to take the next step in their journey," Kayla Hunter with Free Fab'rik told 11Alive.
"It's second chances," Spinola said. "It's the idea that everyone deserves to feel beautiful inside and out, and we believe clothing is the armor to do that."
The shopping sprees not just about styling the perfect accessory but offering the women gathered together a chance to share their story and connect.
"As a sexual survivor myself, I come into these sprees being where they've been," Hunter said. "I just come to them loving them."
"These are the women you want to make sure they know 'you're beautiful, you're loved' and give them hope that we're cheering them on," Spinola added.
The hope is to not only offer the women a free outfit but a renewed sense of self to tackle whatever challenge they may face.
"You know that feeling when you put on an outfit and that confidence comes in," Spinola said, "And you can hopefully can take on the world or at least the next day."
Free Fab'rik has hosted more than 200 free shopping sprees for more than 3,000 women to date. Learn more about the free shopping sprees or how to donate here.
