Barbie dolls get a second life helping migrant children, thanks to a retired fashion designer

Retired fashion designer refurbishes Barbie dolls for migrants

Barbara Lakin, a seasoned retired fashion designer says her biggest concern is getting dolls that represent the racial diversity of the immigrants coming in.

NEW YORK - Barbara Lakin, a seasoned retired fashion designer, has begun work on a new, heartwarming project – restoring Barbie dolls for migrant children.

Lakin volunteers with Team TLC NYC, an organization dedicated to helping asylum-seeking immigrants.The dolls are given to children who just arrived in the United States with these families.

For Lakin, this labor of love started when someone donated a doll with no clothes, and she took it home to dress it.

"It made me feel good," Lakin said.

The doll was eventually placed into the hands of a little girl from Venezuela. From there, her work took off, continuing to grow as the surge of asylum seekers coming to New York City continues, and more doll donations come in.

Some of the dolls need a little help, so she cleans them up if required, washes their hair when needed, and makes sure they are packaged just right.

"The fact that Barbie is trending is serendipitous," Lakin said, referencing the hit movie that recently made over a billion dollars at the box office.