Ontario Charity Serving 250 Women Gets $40K Gift

After visiting a thrift store in Nashville, Ellie Farrow sold her golf club and came out of retirement to start a charity helping vulnerable women rebuild their dignity.

TenThirtyFive Grey-Bruce just received a $40,000 donation from Grey-Bruce's 100 Women Who Care. The grassroots charity offers free shopping vouchers, undergarments, toiletries, and personal care items to at-risk youth and women.

Farrow discovered the original TenThirtyFive thrift store while visiting friends in Tennessee. The upscale boutique's mission to support vulnerable people through fashion immediately captured her heart.

"When we left Nashville I couldn't get it out of my heart," Farrow said. She and her husband Paul decided to bring the model to their community in Hepworth, Ontario.

The charity serves women leaving the sex trade, youth transitioning out of foster care, and LGBTQ2S+ community members. Every three months, participants receive $150 shopping vouchers to select clothing from the boutique at 99 Queen St. E.

In 2025, 125 women used the program. This year that number doubled to 250, and Farrow expects it to double again in 2027.

The charity works with 30 community partners to identify clients who need support. The goal reaches beyond clothing to rebuild confidence and self-worth.

The name comes from Hebrews 10:35: "Do not throw away your confidence. It will be richly rewarded."

The Ripple Effect

Regular customers shopping at the boutique create the foundation that makes the free voucher program possible. Their purchases cover wages, rent, and overhead costs, ensuring donations go directly to helping clients.

The $40,000 gift will help TenThirtyFive partner with businesses like Cheekbone Beauty, a Canadian cosmetics company offering two-for-one discounts on personal care items. Founder Jenn Harper will attend the charity's fashion show fundraiser on August 19 at Spring Creek Gravel Farm.

Volunteers form the "lifeblood" of the operation, according to Farrow. They staff the boutique, organize events, and welcome clients with dignity and respect.

The announcement has already increased customer traffic at the store. More shoppers mean more support for vulnerable women finding their confidence through fashion.

Tickets for the August fashion show are $30 and available at the boutique or online, giving the community another way to support women reclaiming their self-worth one outfit at a time.