Last year ShareNet Thrift Store’s Manager Amy Phillips and Assistant Manager Kelly Knight were challenged with creating a project that served the community, much like our Food Bank and other crisis assistance programs do. Since all ShareNet staff are part time positions with full time demands, their first thought was probably, “Like we don’t have enough on our plates.” But they rose to the occasion and came up with several possibilities.
Eventually, we decided on the ShareWear concept, as research indicated that a site focused exclusively on free work clothes was a largely unmet need in our community. We also understood that having to purchase work clothes when you’re already struggling, or after a period of unemployment, is tough. Unlike our other programs, which have a defined service area, ShareWear will be available to residents across the county.
The idea began with Knight, and she and Phillips worked hard to make it happen. Our first hurdle was space; as those involved with ShareNet know, we don’t have any to spare. Our founding organization, Bayside Community Church, came through with an unused room at the Ed Moon Center behind the church, which usually hosts community meetings and other church functions. Staff transformed the room into a mini-version of our retail store. Some might call it a boutique, but that sounds too fancy for what this is about: providing free work-related clothing to those in need.
We stock attire appropriate for job search, interviews, a dress code new to you, or shift clothes (whatever that entails in any given client’s particular situation). We hope to have enough quality items donated to provide some work standards for common work fields: black pants, khakis, and white shirts. As thrift store shoppers know, those items are difficult to find in both pristine and currently stylish condition, as are many of the clothes needed, including men’s suits.
In the case of those stock pants and shirts needed for almost any big box retail or restaurant job, we’re hoping to locate chain retailers who are interested in donating new goods as available. If any readers have connections in that way, we would love to hear from you. We also hope to eventually provide standard uniforms if that need develops.
Elsewhere in the county, a service like this frequently excludes men, preferring to concentrate on women’s clothes because they are more commonly donated and often in better condition as well. We didn’t feel it was right to exclude men, and while we understand their clothes are always likely to be less stocked than women’s, we still wanted to make sure they were part of our service. These services also tend to focus on dressy clothes. While we will include dressy clothes, we realize those are less in need here in Kitsap than in, say, an urban community.
As just about everyone knows, it’s a bad feeling to realize you’ve shown up for a job inquiry or interview in inappropriate clothes. Hopefully, ShareWear will relieve clients of that experience.
We rolled ShareWear out to most significant social services providers in the county, including public employment vendors, Department of Social and Human Services, Kitsap Community Resources, WorkSource, Olympic College’s career offices, tribal offices, and more. ShareWear was conceived of as a referral service, and we expect to receive referrals from those providers just named, but we will not exclude self-referrals as we realize many clients may not be working with an agency for any other needs.
