Clothing INC's Donation Shed Receives an Upgrade

Clothing INC’s mission is to distribute new or gently used clean clothing to anyone in need. Their doors opened in 2013; in that year, 4,771 articles of clothing were gifted to 235 people. Now, their reach has skyrocketed to gifting over 101,000 clothing items to 4,279 people – and the center is expected to continue growing. Clothing INC serves a wide range of populations including: veterans, low-income households, homeless individuals, those recently released from incarceration, children in foster care, and many more in need.

Donation of clothes in bins at Clothing INC

After moving into the Strickler Nonprofit Center, Clothing INC’s appointments and donations quadrupled, allowing them to serve even more individuals in our community. However, success has also brought new challenges, particularly with clothing collection. Picking up boxes, bags, and loose articles of clothing that have been deposited through the drop doors of the donation shed proves to be challenging for several senior volunteers at Clothing INC. The sheer volume of donations has resulted in the shed needing to be emptied 2-3 times daily. It was clear that a solution was needed to alleviate this problem, and to make their system more efficient.

Funds provided by the Barbara L. and George W. Dunn Family Fund allowed Clothing INC to purchase laundry carts for the donation shed. These carts provide an accessible solution for volunteers at varying ability levels and ensures cleaner donations since the donated clothes will be kept off the floor. One volunteer was inspired to become a donor and gifted an additional cart to the facility. These carts are invaluable tools for the organization and the great work they do.