Gen Z student sells clothes to fund local food donations
An eighteen year old student in California sold clothing items on a resale app to donate money for meals.
Nicole Bjornsen started selling donated clothes in May 2026 to help feed families in her local community area. She created Sweet Balance to turn used clothing into fresh meals for people struggling with high food costs today.
Her grandmother came from Ukraine and lived with the family for several years while she was growing up as a child there. Nicole helped care for her by translating at doctor visits and making meals because the health system was difficult to navigate.
She sells her own clothes and items from friends or thrift stores after sorting them and photographing them for the app. Bjornsen ships every single order herself and has sent more than 261 items to customers across the entire nation recently.
Half of the raised funds go to fresh meals while the other half supports Samaritan House in San Mateo County directly. Through her efforts she has assisted fifty households and prepared over two hundred meals for those in need now.