Your clothing donations to the Mission have a huge impact!

The bard William Shakespeare writes in Hamlet:  “The apparel oft proclaims the man.”  Your donations of new or gently used clothing or footwear to the Central Services warehouse at the Men’s Campus homeless shelter helps men and women to “proclaim” something positive about themselves. And this has a powerful impact on their lives when they’re striving for a fresh start.

Here’s 3 ways your clothing donations change the lives of people facing homelessness.

Obeys Scripture. Jesus implores us to take care of the poor. Here’s just one verse, from Luke 3:11: “Whoever has 2 tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”

So when you give to the Central Services warehouse, you’re following the commands of Scripture, which has a lot to say about caring for the poor!

Provides hope to the homeless. Many of the men who come to our Men’s Campus have little to nothing except what they can carry in a backpack or bag. Your donations of clothing and personal care items provide for our guests’ and students’ basic needs for clothing.

A fresh, clean set of clothing also provides hope and dignity for those who need it most.  And this is of utmost importance. Dr. Adam Galinsky writes, “Clothes invade the body and brain, putting the wearer into a different psychological state.”

Here’s what a few people had to say about the help they received at Central Services:

“Central Services provided me clothes because I didn’t have what I needed.”
–Tony

“I was able to get comfortable shoes because the ones I had were falling apart.” — Dan

“I received pants, suits, and dress shoes before I started the job training program. They gave abundantly to me!”
–Kevin

“I received pants, suits, and dress shoes before I started the job training program. They gave abundantly to me!”
–Kevin

Opens doors for life-sustaining work. In the Mission’s LifeNet education and job training program, men and women are expected to dress up for class. Wearing nice clothing helps them think positively about themselves and their circumstances and builds their self esteem as they prepare for a job search.

If they lack appropriate clothing, Central Services provides men and women with business attire they can use for LifeNet classes and their job search once they graduate. Without donations from people like you, our students would have difficulty obtaining appropriate clothing for job interviews, which would hinder their ability to get into a career.

So even if you only have one shirt, dress, belt, or pair of shoes, God can and will multiply the impact of that gift! IF YOU’VE DONATED IN THE PAST, THANK YOU! If you haven’t, please consider what you have available to donate on behalf of men, women, and children facing homelessness.

New or gently used personal care items can be dropped off at our Central Services building located at 435 University Avenue East in St. Paul. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. For more information call (651) 292-1721.