When Pam Bauer brought 30 pairs of jeans to St. Francis House July 1, she said she knew she had to help the organization’s mission somehow, even if it was just denim.

The comment made St. Francis Director Sister Pat Michalek practically scoff.

“You say ‘just denim,’ but this is like what people live and breathe,” she said.

The thirty pairs were the initial delivery of a total donation that could add up to 125, depending on the enthusiasm of customers to Bauer’s boutique, Slate.

Michalek called the donation “an amazing thing” when she walked into her office and saw Bauer and her husband T.J., standing next to a pile of bags filled with jeans.

“What you’re doing here is so great,” Pam Bauer said to Michalek. “We drove by this place every week after church, and didn’t know it was here.

“We knew we had to help.”

Slate opened its doors in June, at the 9th Street shopping center on the border of Lake Tapps and Auburn. Bauer is the public face of the business, her husband said.

Bauer had 20 years of retail experience before opening Slate.

The donated pants are comprised of unsold inventory from the previous fashion season. After the initial donation of pants, each customer who comes into the store and purchases a pair will also have a pair donated to St. Francis House in their name. The Bauers will deliver the total donations weekly to St. Francis House.

Bauer’s decision to donate the back inventory came part and parcel with the opening of the store, she said.

She saw low income households with teen girls as groups that would especially benefit from the donations.

“We’ve always believed in giving back to the community,” she said. “I knew [the jean donations were] what I wanted to do. Then I found out about St. Francis House and I knew they were who I wanted to donate to.”

St. Francis House provides services to approximately 600 low income families a month and 2,300 families over the course of the year, Michalek said. The organization offers donated sundry goods, financial services, job search assistance, shared housing and some pro bono legal help.

The house most recently built a two-story expansion with office space, donation storage and the item shop for clients. It opened April 1.

The expansion was bustling with activity as Michalek gave the Bauers a tour of the facility.

“We start [distributing] school supplies in August,” Michalek told them as they walked through the shop area, where families browsed through the racks of clothing. “We give families supplies for each of the students, and an outfit. But we never have anything for teenage girls, which is why your donation will be great.

“You know how teenage girls are.”

“Kids can be cruel,” Bauer said. “Girls tend to look at outward appearance.”

Bauer said in an interview that she would like to continue donating to St. Francis House with future back stock. She also told Michalek she would like to donate tops as well.

Slate is located in the shopping center at 18215 9th St. E. Lake Tapps.

St. Francis House is located at 322 7th St. S.E. in Puyallup.