About Teenshop
June 15, 1985. While working fulltime as a broadcast journalist at CBS 3 TV, Elleanor Jean Hendley founded Teenshop at her former church home, Zion Baptist in North Philadelphia, to use her platform to help ensure that girls of color saw positive representations of themselves. The curriculum is an innovative series of life skills workshops, college preparatory initiatives and community service projects. The program has empowered thousands of girls of color to achieve their goals and become leaders in their schools, communities and careers.
Although Ms. Hendley had never planned to expand Teenshop, she was encouraged by ongoing requests to establish the program in other communities. Chapters are now located in Philadelphia, PA, Los Angeles County, CA, and Camden, NJ, with each one directed by an exemplary five-member female volunteer team of career and retired professionals that often includes Teenshop alumnae. Teenshop is proud of its record of 100% college acceptance and more than 3000 alumnae.
Celebrating 38 years empowering ‘girls with goals’®
Board of Directors
Our board members are a dedicated group of working and retired professionals who are actively involved in providing oversight to our organization and participating in programming.
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Elleanor Jean Hendley - Founder, Chair and CEO
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Ebony D. Wortham, Esq. - Vice Chair
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Theda Jackson - Treasurer
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Saundra Mundy - Secretary
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​Sandra Farmer
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Jan Gillespie-Walton
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Aliya Khabir (Teenshop Alumna)
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Naeemah Khabir (Teenshop Alumna)
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Kathleen Marshall
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Shonda McClain
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Tara McCoy
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Shelly White
What People Are Saying
Charisse R. Lillie, Esq., CEO - CRL Consulting LLC
“I have had the pleasure of mentoring several Teenshop girls, now women. I have watched them go on to college and have very successful careers. I have watched them become involved and dedicated alumni in Teenshop. This kind of program should be a prototype in every school and every church in America.”
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Sharmain Matlock-Turner, CEO - Urban Affairs Coalition
“Thank you for committing so much of your life to this effort. A lot of time famous people ‘talk the talk’, but it’s so exciting to work with you because you have actually walked the walk. Thank you for everything you’ve done to make sure that we have girls who continue to achieve their goals.”
We are grateful that Charisse and Sharmain will serve as Co-Chairs of our 40th Anniversary Gala in June 2025. During our 35th Anniversary Virtual Celebration in June 2020, we were honored to present Charisse and Sharmain with a Sustaining Legacy Award.
The Teenshop Pledge
I pledge myself to be a positive, productive, and concerned citizen. I will maintain good moral character and be a role model for other youth to follow.
I will work in harmony with all the members of my Teenshop chapter, and I pledge to uphold our standards of excellence in all my endeavors.
