Loretto College A-team launched our very first believe initiative, “Bloom Boutique,” last year in April of 2024. The team recognized the ongoing trend of poverty amongst teens across the GTA and came up with a creative and impactful solution to help. We combined our passion for shopping and carried the Loretto College motto of having a “small school with a big heart” and created “Bloom Boutique”! 

Bloom Boutique was a free market that gave low-income youth the same shopping opportunities we all know and love. Through generous, school-wide donations and luxury goods from companies such as Sports Chek, Reebok, Shoppers Drug Mart, and more, as well as using a points system, "Bloom Bucks," teens from Covenant House, a homeless youth shelter, and all over the Toronto Catholic District School Board were able to experience a fun event where community and unity came together. 

This event aimed to provide these teens a chance to shop and enjoy themselves freely, not only through free material objects but also by giving them a sense of dignity, confidence, and belonging without a financial barrier. Bloom Boutique was more than just a market—it was a celebration of generosity, inclusion, and the power of community coming together to uplift those in need.