TAMPA, Fla. -- A group of Tampa Bay high school students got inspired to create their own nonprofit called Dress it Up.

And now the group is teaming up with others to provide fresh threads to kids in need.

One of the most recent events for Dress it Up happened at Tampa’s Blake High School.

The students at Blake unpacked several boxes of clothes for a recent drop-off. The boxes paraded their way through the school halls, headed to the Blake Boutique, a student ran thrift store and community pantry.

“There is so much stuff and it really makes me so happy that people are so willing to help,” said Cate Burchett, who organized the event and is a co-founder of Dress it Up.

From formal wear to casual, a bunch of items arrived to replenish the boutique.

The students pulled out garments that could soon make someone else feel good.

“They just sit in the back of your closet,” said Burchett, while holding up a prom dress. “So, it’s nice to know they can have a new life and someone else can wear them.”

Burchett, who goes to Tampa Catholic High School, organized today’s donation after learning about it in a news story Spectrum Bay News 9 covered last October about the Blake Boutique.

“My friend Makayla goes here, and I learned they have a boutique here which is really great, which is like a thrift shop,” Cate said.

Burchett also helped create her own nonprofit to help at Blake. That nonprofit did a pop-up collection event for Steinbrenner High School as well.

Dress it Up also collected shoes and other items for another charity drive for Hope for Children’s Bundles of Hope, which helps foster kids.

Another donation drive happened at the One Elite Cheerleading gym. And of these events happened within the last few weeks.

The nonprofit they created Dress it Up is now catalyzing a movement.

The three first-year friends Burchett, Ava LaBarbera and Isabella Rauscher are now inspiring others.

They enlist other students to become ambassadors of Dress it Up.

LaBarbera said they are using Zoom to recruit and interview potential ambassadors for the nonprofit.

Hillsborough school officials also congratulated the group during a face-to-face pitch.

“We had a nice presentation for them,” LaBarbera said. “We had pictures of what had already happened at other schools, and we really try to get the message out there of what we are trying to do.

“And another good thing about our organization is that we can issue service hours because we are a 501-c3. So, I think when we were able to talk to those specific people, then they’re able to go back to their school and tell people how we’re helping others.”

Dress it Up is branching out. They have ambassadors now outside the Hillsborough school district and are planning to have chapters even outside the state.

Dress it Up donated about 1,000 items just in time for the holidays.

Adams is the Dress it Up Blake High ambassador.

“Not only is this making a difference for all of the kids here to be able to find the clothes that they want in the comfort of their own school but they’re also finding things they could possibly give to other people,” Adams said. “You know being a high school student, it’s so difficult to get gifts around the holidays and this is a great opportunity to help us give back to other people.”