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Ready for Work Events

Overview

With your support, West Virginia communities are building a resource network to connect in-demand professional items with the charities and organizations on the frontlines of helping people get ready for work.

See the 2019 upcoming events schedule and follow WV Forward tips and resources to launch your local clothing drive.
ready for work

READY FOR WORK 2019 CLOTHING DRIVES

Email WV Forward to host your own local clothing drive.

Girls Night Out

Girls Night Out 

WV Forward is partnering with YWCA Charleston, Dress for Success River Cities and United Way to host the inaugural Ready for Work clothing drive at the annual Girls Night Out event in Charleston on August 9.

Needed items:

  • Suits
  • Black pants
  • White button down shirts
  • Scrubs 
  • Non-slip shoes
techconnect

Women & Tech Conference

TechConnect WV is holding a Ready for Work clothing drive at its annual Women & Technology Conference in Charleston on October 21. 

Needed items: 

  • Business casual clothing, appropriate for fall and winter
  • Black pants
  • White button down shirts 
  • Closed-toe, low heeled shoes 
  • Boots
vista collaborative: The Collaborative at West Virginia University

Ready for Work at WVU 

The VISTA Collaborative at WVU is celebrating Make a Difference Day by hosting a Ready for Work clothing drive in Morgantown from October 14-25. 

View drop-off locations here.

Needed items:

  • Professional winter clothing
  • Maternity clothing
  • Black pants – sizes 0-2, 16+
  • White button down shirts, professional tops – sizes XL+
  • Solid color scrubs – all sizes
  • Non-slip shoes – sizes 9+

SETTING UP YOUR CLOTHING DRIVE.

Contact WV Forward for an in-depth toolkit, or download it here.

Identify Partners. 

Refer to WV Forward's list of statewide work apparel resources by region to help find local partner organizations, programs or charities to donate items to. 

  • Identify your area's specific community needs based on partner feedback. 
  • Consider local events or conferences where you can carry out a clothing drive to help boost participation. 
  • Lock down the date, time and location!

Outreach.

In collaboration with your partner organizations and/or charities, communicate early and often the details of your clothing drive. 
  • Promote the drive through marketing flyers, e-invites, newsletters, social media, earned media, community calendars, and of course, word of mouth. 
  • If your clothing drive is a part of a conference or upcoming event, make sure the drive is a part of the communications and marketing strategy for the main event.
  • Publicize widely what in-demand items will be accepted and collected. 
  • Donations should be lightly loved, with no stains, holes or tears, and should be purchased from the past 3-5 years.

Volunteers.

  • Establish roles for volunteers. 
  • Recommendations: 1-2 to handle registration, sign-in sheets and tax forms; 2-4 to collect and sort donations.
  • Confirm volunteers’ commitment ahead of the event.
  • Train volunteers on what items will be accepted and how to sort clothing.

Logistics. 

  • Direct donors to the drop-off location with signs or posters.
  • Use sign-in sheets to track donors and add them to future mailing lists. Donors may become future volunteers, partners or leaders. Readily available contact information can also make tax receipts easier to fill out. 
  • Bring extra hangers and movable racks for items such as shirts and suits. Use clean totes or boxes for items that can be folded and stacked away.
  • Use labels on boxes to sort clothes into specific items and sizes. If you are distributing to more than one location, use labels to identify which clothing closet organizations are receiving which items.
  • Count the number of items received as they are collected and sorted.

Transportation.

  • Depending on the event, donations may need to be transported to a new location to be sorted rather than at the drop-off location. Consider available space of the clothing drive and determine if you have room to sort clothing nearby the drop-off location or in the vehicle you will use as transport.
  • A large truck or van is recommended to transport clothes (rent from car rental). Multiple vehicles may be required depending on truck size and expected quantities.
  • Work with the event vendor to determine where truck or vehicle can be parked.Coordinate the date and time to deliver sorted items to your partner organizations who are accepting the donations.

Statewide work apparel resources by region.

Southern Region

  • Community Action of Southeastern WV - Bluefield, WV - 304-325-3511 or 304-327-3506
  • Mark’s Place - Princeton, WV - 304-487-6750
  • Mary’s Cradle - Bluefield, WV - 304-327-7757
  • McDowell Mission - Gary, WV - 304-448-3052
  • Montgomery Presbyterian Church - Montgomery, WV - 304-253-9541
  • Multi-Cap - Kimberly, WV 25118 - 304-442-4900 
  • Multi-Cap - Oak Hill, WV - 304-465-8888
  • Raleigh County Community Action - Beckley, WV - 304-252-6396
  • Salvation Army Corps at Fayette, Nicholas, Webster, Wyoming and Raleigh Counties - 304-252-9541
  • Salvation Army - Beckley, WV - 304-253-9541
  • Salvation Army - Bluefield, WV - 304-327-7411
  • Salvation Army - Princeton, WV - 304-425-2971
  • Tender Mercies Ministries, Inc. - Princeton, WV - 304-425-2557
  • The Soup Kitchen - Princeton, WV – 304-487-2796
  • Union Mission - Bluefield, WV - 304-327-8167
  • United Way of Southern WV - Beckley, WV - 304-253-2111
  • Wise Women’s Services – Bluefield - 304-324-5809 and 304-324-7224 -info@wisewomenscenter.org - http://www.wisewomenscenter.org/ 

North Central Region

  • North Central RegionBroad Oaks United Methodist Church - Clarksburg, WV- 304-622-8745
  • Catholic Charities - Clarksburg, WV - 304-623-1765
  • Christian Help - Morgantown, WV - 304-296-0221
  • Clarksburg Mission - Weston WV - 304-622-2451
  • Good Shepherd Ministries Helping Hand Clearinghouse - Elkins, WV - 304-636-5449
  • Heart and Hand House - Philippi, WV - 304-457-1295
  • New Life Southern Baptist Church - Weston, WV - 304-269-7105
  • North Central Community Action - Philippi, WV - 304-265-3565
  • North Central Community Action - Morgantown, WV - 304-291-6795
  • Our Neighbor - Weston, WV - 304-269-6327
  • Salvation Army - WV 26301 - 304-622-2360
  • Salvation Army - Grafton, WV - 304-265-3565
  • Salvation Army - Buckhannon, WV - 304-472-6165
  • Salvation Army - Clarksburg WV - 304-622-2360
  • Salvation Army - Grafton, WV - 304-265-3565
  • Scott’s Run Settlement House - Osage, WV - 304-599-5020
  • Soup Opera - Fairmont, WV - 304-367-1098
  • Tyrand Cooperative Ministries - Mill Creek, WV - 304-335-2788

Eastern Panhandle Region

  • Assumption Parish - Keyser, WV - 304-788-2488
  • Community Ministries - Charles Town WV - 304-725-3186
  • Community Networks, Inc. - Martinsburg, WV - 304-263-6901
  • Faith in Action, Inc. - Keyser, WV - 304-788-5331
  • First Christian Church Disciple Center - New Martinsville - 681-302-8413 -lbarthleadvolunteernpgp@gmail.com 
  • Helping Hands of the Potomac Highlands - Keyser, WV - 304-788-0110
  • Professional Clothing Closet, Keyser, WV - 304-788-5020
  • Refuge Church - New Martinsville WV - 304-455-2120
  • Salvation Army - Hedgesville - 304-754-3849
  • Salvation Army - Martinsburg, WV—304-267-4612

Kanawha Valley Region

  • American Red Cross - Huntington WV - 304-526-2900
  • Capital Resource Agency of Upper Kanawha Valley - Charleston, WV -304-949-6077
  • Catholic Charities of Kanawha County - Charleston, WV - 304-380-0162
  • Church of God - Man, WV - 304-583-7418
  • Community Resources, Inc. - Charleston, WV - 304-346-3181
  • Covenant House - Charleston, WV - 304-344-8053 - https://wvcovenanthouse.org/programs/clothing-closet/ 
  • Dress for Success - Huntington, WV - 304-522-3011 - https://rivercities.dressforsuccess.org/ - rivercities@dressforsuccess.org 
  • Faith Mission - Hurricane, WV - 304-562-1700
  • First Baptist Church - Man, WV - 304-583-7224
  • Genoa Christian Center - Genoa, WV - 304-385-4583
  • Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church - Holden, WV - 304-752-5747
  • Heart & Hand Community Service - South Charleston WV - 304-744-6741
  • Madison Baptist Church - Madison, WV - 304-369-1061
  • Mount Mission Church - Lake, WV - 304-752-8772
  • Mountain Mission - Charleston, WV - 304-344-3407
  • Multi-Cap - Charleston, WV - 304-949-6077 
  • Multi-Cap - Clendenin, WV - 304-548-5392
  • Nazareth House - Huntington, WV - 304-525-3609
  • Salvation Army - Logan, WV - 304-792-1147
  • Salvation Army - Charleston, WV - 304-343-4548
  • Salvation Army - Huntington, WV - 304-529-2401
  • Salvation Army - Logan, WV - 304-752-0917
  • Salvation Army - Summersville, WV - 304-253-9541
  • Salvation Army - Teays, WV - 304-757-5237
  • Saint Marks United Methodist Church The Clothing Center at Covenant House -Charleston, WV - 304-343-2115
  • YWCA Past & Present - Charleston, WV - 304-340-3646 - https://www.ywcacharleston.org/past--present 

Northern Panhandle Region

  • Adams House Ministries - Middlebourne, WV - 304-758-0236 -adamshouseministires@frontier.com
  • Change, Inc. - Moundsville, WV - 304-845-8269
  • Community Resources Inc. - Sistersville, WV - 304-652-1554
  • Community Resources Inc. - New Martinsville, WV - 304-455-2701
  • Family Resource Network - McMechen, WV - 304-232-2250
  • Family Resource Network - Sistersville, WV - 304-652-1741
  • Family Resources Network - Wheeling, WV - 304-243-0470
  • Imagination Station Gabriel Project - Moundsville, WV - 304-280-6701
  • Joseph’s Caring Center - Wheeling, WV - 304-233-4001
  • Northern Programs Chapter Office, St. James Lutheran Church - Wheeling, WV -304-639-5039 - npgabrielproject@gmail.com
  • Salvation Army - Moundsville, WV - 304-845-0510
  • Salvation Army - Weirton, WV - 304-748-4310 
  • Salvation Army - Wellsburg, WV - 304-737-0071
  • Salvation Army - Wheeling, WV - 304-233-4400
  • St. Joseph the Worker Church - Weirton, WV - 304-723-2054
  • The House of the Carpenter - Wheeling, WV - 304-233-4640
  • YWCA Y-Not Boutique - Wheeling, West Virginia - 304-232-0511 -http://ywcawheeling.org/wordpress/ywca-womens-boutique/ - boutiquedirector@ywcawheeling.org 

Ohio Valley Region

  • Common Cents - Spencer, WV - 304-927-4377
  • Community Resources Inc. - Parkersburg, WV - 304-422-5339
  • Community Resources Inc. - Ravenswood, WV - 304-273-5100
  • Community Resources Inc. - Spencer, WV - 304-927-4632
  • Community Resources Inc. - St. Mary’s, WV - 304-684-3461
  • Community Resources Inc.  - Grantsville, WV - 304-354-9265
  • Community Resources Inc. - Elizabeth, WV - 304-275-4306
  • Good Shepherd Episcopal - Parkersburg, WV - 304-428-1525
  • Old Man River Mission - Parkersburg, WV - 304-428-6677
  • Salvation Army - Parkersburg, WV - 304-485-4529
  • Salvation Army - Spencer, WV - 304-927-5801
  • Salvation Army - Parkersburg, WV - 304-485-4529
  • St. Francis Xavier - Parkersburg, WV - 304-422-6786 -central.movgabrielproject@gmail.com 
  • Williamstown/Waverly First Presbyterian Church - Williamstown, WV - 304-375-6211 - ww.movgabrielproject@gmail.com
  • Wirt County Ministerial Association - Elizabeth, WV - 304-275-3365
  • YWCA 2501 Dudley Ave - Parkersburg, WV - 304-422-5465

Getting Prepared

ready for work


What to Bring.

  • Clean boxes or bins
  • Totes/clean plastic reusable bags
  • Folding table(s) for registration and/or sorting
  • Hangers
  • Movable racks
  • Labels
  • Sign-in sheets
  • Tape
  • Pens and sharpies
  • Drop-Off sign(s)
  • Easels for signs
  • Truck or vehicles to transport clothes
  • Plastic garment bags (optional)

Be part of something bigger.

We want to hear from you. Share your ideas. Stay informed. Help us move West Virginia Forward.

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