Fashion for Charity will host its second fashion show event on Sept. 25, 4 p.m., at the Palmetto Bay Village Center. This year’s show will benefit the Young Women’s Academy for Academic and Civic Development at J.R.E. Lee Center in South Miami. Diane Superville, the founder of Fashion for Charity, is seeking donations and sponsors for the worthwhile cause. “I sat with Cindy Lerner, the mayor of Pinecrest, and reviewed a list of the different schools that needed assistance. Once I was introduced to this school and met the principal, I knew that this was the school that I wanted to help,” Superville said.
The approximately 130 girls at J.R.E. Lee Center are in grades 6-12 and are most often academically deficient. These highrisk students attend the school because they require additional teacher assistance and may need credits for graduation. Others attend because they have been assigned by the MDCPS District for various infractions of the Code of Student Conduct.
The Fashion for Charity event is fitting to benefit the J.R.E. Lee Center, because the curriculum focus at the school is fashion marketing. One of the many goals of the school is to prepare the girls for entry into the adult work world by improving their reading, math, writing, science, technology, social, and workplace skills.
“We are very excited and we appreciate the generous support,” said Claire Warren, principal of J.R.E. Lee. “Our girls come to us from Florida City to Overtown, so community and parental support is deficient.
Many of our girls come from foster homes and broken homes. Many are young, single mothers. They really need a lot of support.” Warren said that the proceeds from the event will be used for programs that reward students for attendance and good behavior. It also will be used for field trips and other enrichment programs.
Superville said that a few of the girls from the school will be on-hand to model in the show. She already has secured Cache, Banana Republic, Gap and Men’s Wearhouse to showcase their fashions at the event.
Bacardi has generously agreed to sponsor the cocktail happy hour and a few local restaurants are sponsoring appetizer food stations.
“I’m still working on securing a few more restaurants so we have a nice, diverse choice of food at the event,” Superville said.
Superville, along with her friend helping with the event, Maria Estevez, are seeking more raffle prizes to add to the list of items she already has obtained, including a weekend cruise, Marlins tickets, a Miami hotel stay, jewelry, spa treatments and more.
“All of the donors and sponsors will be recognized in advertising promotions, flyers and brochures for the event,” Superville added.
The cultural evening will include the sounds of young musicians and the artwork of Deborah Weed on display and for sale, with a portion of each sale benefiting the school. Tickets for the event will cost $50.
“Where else can you go for $50 and enjoy an evening of fashion, cocktails, food, music, art and great company…all for a good cause,” Superville said.
To become a sponsor or to purchase tickets for this year’s Fashion for Charity event, contact Diane Superville at 786- 288-8408 or 786-556-2653; send email to her at dsuperville@cruisesinc.com or contact Maria Estevez at 305-541-1888.
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