HUDSON, Fla. — Cori Tucker began her weight loss journey two years ago.
But replacing clothes, as she lost weight, became a challenge financially.
"I have gone down nine sizes in clothes, and I have had the ability to do that through empowerment of hope. So I go in my closet and I try something on and it's too big and I put it in the donate pile," Tucker said.
Tucker is one volunteer for the nonprofit, Empowerment of Hope.
Founded by Diana Brooks and Alicia Johnson, the group has run free women's clothing drive events for years, despite rising costs on their end.
"We realize as much as this is so wonderful, and we love it and we're helping the community and everyone loves it, it also it's starting to cost money. So down the road, we realized we probably should become a nonprofit," said Brooks, president of Empowerment of Hope.
Sunday's event gave the hundreds of women who showed up the chance to browse through free clothes, that others had donated.
"As a new mom that most of your regular stuff is still not going to fit you for a long time, and that you need new clothes, and you usually do not have extra money," said Gloria Cheney, a new mother.
Cheney and her sister Melinda, each browsed for clothes, for themselves and others in their family at the all-women event in Hudson.
And this year, Brooks and Johnson were able to find enough sponsors to make the event completely free.
"This is our first year of having sponsors, amazing sponsors. Thank you so much for everything. And this will really help us continue to grow," said Johnson.
For more information on future events or how you can get involved, head over to their Facebook page.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
