The new school year brings all kinds of concerns for students, even without the threat of an ongoing pandemic.

And while some concerns require specific solutions, the need for clothing is being met thanks to a mobile boutique, courtesy of Kisha Beaner Howcott and her group, Clothed by Love Mentoring.

Ms. Howcott, a Richmond native and special education teacher in Caroline County, hosts the boutique that has the feel of a store inside a trailer. It allows students to shop for new clothes free of charge.

The organization also pro- vides mentoring, giving students in all grades tools for learning as part of its mission to provide youths with great fashion, life skills and the ability to build a positive self-image.

“Anytime I welcome students into our mobile boutique and give away clothes at community events, big or small, is a touching moment for me,” Ms. Howcott says. “I am thankful God is using me in this way.”

Clothed by Love was founded April 8, 2020, with its beginning tied to Ms. Howcott’s work with her former nonprofit, Victorious Ladies Ministry, and its outreach program, Blessed to be a Blessing Distribution.

Ms. Howcott combined the passion the former program fostered with her life experiences to create what she saw as a “God-given vision to provide support in helping our students overcome barriers, while encouraging them to reach their full potential.”

“When I was a single mother, I learned the importance of having a good support system and how to utilize my resources to meet needs,” Ms. Howcott says. “Then as an educator, I was able to see the needs of my students firsthand and I wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of students, especially those who were working so hard for a better outcome in life.” Clothed by Love Mentoring began out of the back of Ms. Howcott’s truck with bins full of clothes. The mobile trailer, acquired more than a month later, is easier and provides a better experience for those selecting clothes, Ms. Howcott says. Further change has come as the group, which includes eight consistent volunteers, has expanded its services to providing life principles and skills to those they assist.

The program includes a reading enhancement program for students, with a virtual reading group for elementary and middle school students and a driver’s education study group for high schoolers and recent graduates to help them obtain a driving permit.

“I believe that God gave me a new vision so our name reflects what we do, clothing our communities with love,” Ms. Howcott says. “We recently added mentoring to our name because we wanted our communities to know that we offered other services besides giving away clothing from our mobile boutique.”

On Friday, Sept. 24, Clothed by Love will host its first “Girls Night In” to assess the social and emotional well-being of high school girls and provide them with an outlet for advice.

Ms. Howcott already is looking toward expanding the program to include other age and gender groups, a testament to her commitment to Clothed By Love and the communities it serves.

“We are here to be a blessing, so if we see a need then we try to meet that need,” Ms. Howcott says. “If it is a service that we provide, we ask that people reach out to us. Let us help the best way we can.”

Meet a person dedicated to meeting the needs of young people and this week’s Personality, Kisha Beaner Howcott:

No. 1 volunteer position: Founder and chief executive officer of Clothed by Love Mentoring.

Date and place of birth: July 21 in Richmond.

Where I live now: Varina in Henrico County.

Education: Washington and Lee High School, Westmo- reland County; bachelor’s in psychology, Liberty University; master’s in special education, Grand Canyon University.

Occupation: Special education teacher, Caroline High School in Caroline County.

Family: Husband, Mike; son, Mike Jr., 29; daughter, Keyonna, 27; daughter Kiya, 15; and daughter, Kaliyah, 7.

Clothed by Love’s mission: Clothed by Love teaches Christian principles to support youth enrichment through mentoring programs that help youth dress for success, develop life skills, and build positive self-image.

How Clothed by Love chooses the communities it serves: We are here to be a blessing, so if we see a need then we try to meet that need. We have had the opportunity to work with some wonderful organizations to combine our resources to meet the needs of the community. Let us help the best way we can. You can contact us on our website: clothedbylove.org, Facebook: Clothed By Love VA, or Instagram: Clothed_by_love.

How a community knows Clothed by Love is present: At community events, we usually pull up with our mobile boutique, which is a 7x16 enclosed trailer. You can’t miss us.

Reason for being mobile: I use to give away clothing before to help families in need, but I was doing it out of my truck. It was hard work carrying around bins and loading them in and out of places. Having a mobile boutique is an easier way to manage and transport the clothes. I would say being mobile has it advantages because I can transform my trailer to cater to whatever need we are meeting.

Why being mobile is better than having a brick and mortar shop: That’s easy. I can reach those who might not have the means to reach me and they can still have the full experience of what we have to offer.

How Clothed by Love gets its clothes: I purchased a lot of the clothing in the beginning. We were able to find really good sales and deals so we would stock up on items. I got a lot of items from Wal-Mart, Justice and Rainbow when we first started out. I did some research and came across an organization called Good 360, which connects nonprofits with stores that donate products. Thank the Lord, we are starting to get in donations and grants, but support is still needed. We still need to make connections and I pray that people will donate.

Is all of the clothing new?: All the clothes in our mobile boutique are new. We do collect gently used items but we plan on doing what we call a “vintage pop-up” in different areas to give those clothes away. It will be set up just like a yard sale but the items are all free.

Clothed by Love’s most touching moment: Anytime I welcome students into our mobile boutique and give away clothes at community events, big or small, is a touching moment for me! I am thankful God is using me in this way. The families and community members have been so nice, for the most part. Another touching moment was when a little girl told me she wishes she lived in the boutique. I felt honored that she enjoyed her experience with us.

Upcoming events: We are kicking off our first “Girls Night In” on Friday, Sept. 24. The purpose of this program is to check on the social and emotional well-being of our high school-age girls. We will provide them with an outlet to share and receive advice in a safe, non-judgmental environ- ment through girl chats. We will have a theme each meeting that will educate them on a desired topic. On Sept. 24, our theme is skin care and how to apply makeup that is age appropriate because our teen girls are into makeup. We will have a makeup artist share her expertise with the participants. We look forward to expanding this program over time to include other age and gender groups.

How I start the day: I usually start my day with my morning devotion. I meditate on scrip- ture, pray and/or read.

Three words that best describe me: Encourager, considerate and trustworthy.

Best late-night snack: Ice cream or chips.

How I unwind: Watching a movie with my family.

What I am learning about myself during the pandemic: I believe that God has been preparing me for new opportunities and I have to step out on faith to reach those new levels. I believe that during this pandemic, God has been drawing me near and I have been willing to be more obedient, but it is still a process.

At the top of my “to-do” list: Finalize the last details for our upcoming event “Girls Night In.”

Best thing my parents ever taught me: Do your best, no matter if people are watching or not.

Person who influenced me the most: My mother. She is a hard worker and is so giving. She puts forth effort in all she does, and she is always striving to make things better.

Book that influenced me the most: “Jump: Take the Leap of Faith to Achieve Your Life of Abundance” by Steve Harvey and “Destiny: Step Into Your Purpose” by Bishop T.D. Jakes.

What I’m reading now: “Woman Evolve: Break Up with Your Fears and Revolutionize Your Life” by Sarah Jakes Roberts.

Next goal: Full-time entrepreneur, walking in my destiny.