Who Benefits When You Donate Career Clothing

By Jaclyn Hurley


Men and women who are unfortunate enough to have been unemployed for long periods of time sometimes find themselves in the position of not having the appropriate apparel to successfully compete in the job seeking market. They may have become homeless or be living in shelters where they can have few items that belong to them. These circumstances do not necessarily need to doom them to a life of destitution. There are ways to donate career clothing to assist these people to get back on their feet.

There are organizations in nearly every community that will help those who are down on their luck to get back on the road to financial well being again. The philosophy is that most people prefer a hand up over a hand out and would rather be gainfully employed if given the opportunity. With a little training on how to get through a job interview and the proper clothing they can attain their goals.

Women who have fled from violent situations and now reside in shelters also benefit from these programs. They often have children that they are responsible for and getting a job that can support them is imperative for their continued independence. The agencies that protect them have trained professionals that prepare them for the job market but without the generous donations of private individuals it would be in vain.

Many community churches have special areas where people can bring their lightly used career clothing. They have certain days of the week when you can drop off the items and ask that they be clean and without excessive wrinkling. There are specific garments that are best suited for job seeking and they ask that you only bring things found on their lists.

Women's garments should be business casual. This means suits with slacks or a skirt, blazers, skirts and blouses, shoes of all sizes and unused toiletries, undergarments and hosiery. They request that the clothing be seasonal and not be out of style or inappropriate. A rule of thumb is whether or not you would wear the garment in question to an interview or not. If you would wear it then it will be perfect for their needs.

The men's list is somewhat shorter but basically the same. They want lightly worn suits, dress shirts, shoes, new black stockings, new underwear, and unused toiletries. They request that you do not send polo shirts, vests or sweaters, jeans or khakis and corduroys because they are not appropriate for a job interview.

There are also national organizations that cater mostly to women who need assistance finding employment. These organizations supply an outfit for the interview and if the client gets the job they are allowed to return for more outfits to get them through their first week of work. Later they can return on a quarterly basis for three extra outfits to help them continue in their new job.

The work that these organizations are doing is helping many people get back on the job. They have made dreams come true for people who thought they were finished. Donations to them should be considered a pleasure.




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