Rebecca's Closet, a Women in Action project, continues to meet the needs of struggling families with young children. Social workers, case managers, visiting nurses, teachers and others that work with families can access Rebecca's Closet for clothing for their clients, infant through pre-teen. In 2016, 341 total request were filled, an increase of 17% from 2015. Those requests included 14,664 items, which is an increase of almost 50% over 2015. The number of different organizations that access Rebecca's Closet also continues to grow, as does the number of volunteer hours provided by members of Women in Action. If you are interested in donating gently used clothing items, drop offs can be made at the United Way office.
Career Closet, a project of Emerging Leaders, also saw increases in service in 2016. Individuals needing clothing appropriate for a job interview or new job can access the Career Closet for help. Last year, 265 people visited the Career Closet, an increase of 20% from 2015. Volunteers devoted over 470 hours of time to help clients find appropriate clothing, sort and hang donations and organize the space to be a warm, inviting place for clients. A new service, Boots to Work, was started in August. A major barrier for individuals accepting a job in a manufacturing environment is the need for steel toed footwear that they are unable to afford. With a voucher from Job Service or an employer, 17 people received a pair of boots to start a new job. Boots to start the program were purchased with the help of a grant, and several local workplaces have conducted drives for gently used boots that have been donated to Career Closet.
