A Downtown fashion boutique is selling designer jeans, tops and more at 50-75 percent off retail on March 6 to benefit an educational internship program.
Denim & Knits on 2 Cortlandt St. will donate 20 percent of the proceeds from its 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. sample sale to Futures and Options, a non-profit organization in Lower Manhattan that places underserved high school juniors and seniors in paid internships.
“Our goal is for our students to go to college,” said Patty Machir, executive director of Futures and Options, “and we help them to see beyond today and focus on their future.”
Machir said 60 percent of the students who apply for the internship program are successfully placed in a business where they’ll earn at least $6.50 an hour, but the percentage rate could be even higher.
“If we had funds, we could place everyone,” said Machir, referring to Futures and Options’ service to pay the student’s wages if their business is unable to.
Four out of the 36 high schools that are participating in the internship program this spring are in Lower Manhattan: Murry Bergtraum High School, High School of Economics and Finance, High School for Leadership and Public Service, and Millennium High School.
Businesses who would like to sponsor an intern, and high school students who want to become and intern can call (212) 601-0002 or visit www.futuresandoptions.org for more information.
— Sebastian Kahnert
