Clothing Center
The Clothing Center distributes clothing four mornings a week at the MEND Center and the second and fourth Saturday of the month. Clients are given an allotment of clothes items for each member of the immediate family and placed on a waiting list for items not readily available.
The Clothing Center also helps by offering blankets during the winter months, house wares and small appliances all year long, holiday gifts at Christmas and toiletries for the homeless.
The Clothing Center also hosts a baby shower twice a year. The luncheon event includes guest speakers from local social service agencies, educational workshops on breastfeeding and infant CPR/first aid and baby shower games. Attendees receive a new car seat and a goody bag filled with newborn essentials such as diapers, blankets, and valuable information for mothers and newborns.
Another event hosted by the Clothing Center is “Project Glamour.” The center is transformed for the day into a boutique where racks of prom dresses, shoes, purses and accessories are displayed. Both parents and young female clients are invited to the event. The parents participate in a parenting workshop while their daughters attend a personal development workshop. Following the workshops, the girls shop for their gown, shoes, jewelry and bag; once they have complete outfits, they get their hair and makeup professionally done.
In the summer the Clothing Center hosts “Project Job Ready.” Participants attend a job readiness workshop where they are given tips on how to obtain and keep a job. As an added benefit participants take home a complete interview outfit plus a goodie bag.
Every October, the Center hosts a jacket distribution event. MEND families are invited to select one jacket per family member.
Holistic Approach
MEND’s Clothing Center team members solicit donations of specific types of clothing so as to provide for any clothing and small household needs our clients might have. In addition, MEND annually coordinates baby showers, a back-to-school event, and a prom dress-up event for teens.
Pathways to Self-Reliance
In addition to providing on-going job training in display, inventory control and warehouse management, the MEND Clothing Center team annually organizes and runs a job-readiness event and a women’s conference for low-income clients.
Powered By Volunteers
In 2012, Clothing Center volunteers—including low-income clients, job trainees, physically and developmentally challenged participants, and students—contributed over 32,000 hours of service.
Volunteers are always needed to sort clothing, distribute clothing, pick up donated clothing and other tasks that help MEND to operate its Clothing Center.
Clothing Center Partners
The Clothing Center is grateful for the assistance of its lead partner, Costco Van Nuys, as well as that of the following organizations:
| A-1 Textile | Heschel Day School | PCF Program Family Partnership |
| Archdioceses of Los Angeles | IABA | Phoenix House |
| Armani Wells | Jay Nolan Community Services | Planned Parenthood Los Angeles |
| Assemblymember Felipe Fuentes | K and C Group | Rico International |
| Beckford Elementary School | Kaiser Family Bank | Salvation Army |
| Bishop Alemany High School | Los Angeles Family Housing | SCV Kids Consignment Sale |
| Black Infant Health Program | Los Angeles Kids Consignment Sale | SER Volunteer |
| Boy Scouts of America | Los Angeles Regional Foodbank | Shelter Partnership |
| Buffalo Exchange | Los Angeles Valley College | Sportsman’s Lodge |
| C and J Moving Company | Los Encinos School | STEP Program |
| Campbell Hall | Mercy Ministry Church | Super $ Discount Store |
| Chrysalis | Mothers Nutrition Center | Tierra Del Sol |
| CSUN | NBC Universal | Unified We Serve |
| De La Salle School | NEVHC Women’s Health Clinic | Valley Family Center |
| Discovery Shops - Northridge | New Economics for Women | Vaughn Next Century Learning Center |
| DOOR Network | North East Graffiti Busters | Viewpoint School |
| El Proyecto Del Barrio | Notre Dame High School | Volunteer Center of Los Angeles |
| Fernangeles School | Opportunity Shop | The Volunteer League |
| First 5 LA | Pacifica Hospital of the Valley | Walt Disney VoluntEARS |
| Focus on Children Now | Pacoima Skills Center | Warner Brothers |
| Friends of the Family | Pacoima Youth & Family Center | YO-Valley |
| Gain Program | Pajama Program | Youth Policy Institute |
| Girls Scouts of America |
