Susanne, Sheila and Rita started the clothing bank at the Bridge Care Center to help meet the ongoing demand for clothing for the homeless. Open since June, 2011, the clothing bank has grown from half a dozen clients to upwards of 50 clients a week.
With another cold, wet La Niña winter on the horizon, a Ballard clothing bank is looking for warm gear donations for the homeless.
Open since June, The Bridge Care Center's clothing bank serves 50 people a week, providing them with clothing, shoes, sleeping bags and rain capes at no cost.
"We started with half a dozen clients in June and now, solely by word of mouth, we're serving upwards of 50 people a week," said Rita Weinstein, one of the clothing bank founders and volunteers. "Many of these people are newly homeless or marginally employed. With cold weather closing in, the needs are great."
Weintein said the clothing bank is in need of socks, underwear, warm clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, rain gear, backpacks - anything warm and/or waterproof.
"It's hard to keep the jeans stocked and we have all these fancy dress shoes but they have no need for them. They need more utility - type shoes," Weinstein said.
The clothing bank was started when the Ballard Food Bank moved into their new location and no longer had space for clothing.
Weinstein along with fellow volunteers Rebecca Butler, Sheila, and Susanne, started the new clothing bank to help meet the ongoing demand for clothing for the homeless.
The clothing bank recently expanded to two full rooms within The Bridge Care Center, on 1516 NW 51st Street.
A project of Quest Church, The Bridge Care Center is an outreach center for men and women who are experiencing homelessness, displacement and financial hardship and offers computer and internet access, counseling services, and case management. The care center provides clients with three clothing voucher a month to be redeemed in the clothing bank.
"Many of our clients are the new homeless, who have spent many years as productive members of the community. I am there because I feel that no one should be left to survive on their own in times of such severe economic displacement," Weinstein said.
The Bridge Care Center is open two days a week: On Tuesdays from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
For more information, please visit bridgecarecenter.org.
