2 foster kids a family met at their church were the source of inspiration for the Durrence family to open a clothing boutique and help struggling kids and families who adopt them get clothes for free. The family was on a mission to help other foster kids across the Coastal Empire, starting with a business that the mother is most familiar with – a clothing store.
Linda Durrence from Glennville, GA, and her husband adopted 2 foster children they met at their church. The 2 girls were among the other foster children at risk of being separated from each other. They just lost their mother and were transferred from one foster home to another. Linda temporarily took them in and bought new clothes for the girls. This inspired Linda, which led to the idea of opening a clothing store for foster children and the parents who adopt them. Families who adopt children but are struggling financially can get clothes for free at the boutique.
“What God knew that we didn’t is that we needed them as much as they needed us,” Linda said. “When they came to me, they had a trash bag that was not even full of clothes, and the clothes didn’t really fit them.”
Linda recalled in an interview that their family has been through so much, though their journey to happiness prospered through grief. The couple had 3 children, all of who they adopted. In 2016, her eldest daughter passed away from a car accident, which led the couple and their remaining 2 children to move to Glennville, GA.
“Our oldest daughter…I didn’t give birth to her, but she had been in my life since she was about 5 years old….she died when she was 27,” said Linda Durrence.
Linda has opened a free clothing store for children in need and the families who adopted them. She has called the store Blossom Boutique. The store accepts various donated clothing. Not only foster children but also infants through grade 12 kids can avail of 7 sets of clothes and shoes for free, as well as hygiene products, coats, and school supplies each quarter as the seasons change.
“We noticed that they went from very broken and transitioned into… we watched them blossom,” Linda says of her adopted children. “And I couldn’t imagine life without any of them. It’s like they’ve been here all along.”
Blossom Boutique is located at 902 N. Veterans Blvd in Glennville, and they are open daily from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
If you like Linda’s altruistic act and to help kids in need, why not click ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ his story with your friends and family.
Credits to: Sinchew Daily, WIS News 10, and WTOC News 11
