Fashion may change over the years, but hope never goes out of style – that’s what organizers of the Hope House annual fundraiser believe.
 The Downtown Women’s Shelter opened in 1999. In 2001, Volunteers of America took over operations, and the women who use the shelter renamed it Hope House.

For 16 years, supporters staged a celebrity fashion show as their fall fundraiser.

“Members of law enforcement and local celebrities were the models,” said Sarah Howard, communications director for VOA. “It was a lot of fun.”

However, Howard said, “When it comes right down to it, we’re not a fashion house. While the people who came were fashion-conscious, they were also socially conscious.”

This year, in order to reflect that social conscience, the fashion show has been scrapped in favor of a program that will feature speakers from Hope House and Crosswalk – people who’ve directly benefited from these shelters. Read more. Cindy Hval, SR

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