Clothing hangers for a pets’ charity? An unexpected match
A Good Thing is all about connecting organisations to reduce waste and increase resources. But what could possibly connect a clothing charity and a pet foodbank? When the Working Wardrobe project sought to donate its surplus clothes hangers, the Pet Food Bank Service may have seemed a surprising match. But here at A Good Thing, organisations find themselves matched in all sorts of unexpected ways…
When A Good Thing was set up, it was intended for businesses to donate things to their local charitable causes. But something really wonderful has happened along the way, which may be surprising to some readers: many, many charities have decided to use the site to donate things to their fellow charities. We have been thrilled with this development, and it happens for several different reasons.
Charities are often given things they don't really need or want, but end up feeling that they can't say no for fear of looking ungrateful. When charities are lucky enough to have furniture donated to them by local businesses, they're frequently looking to give away their old furniture - which is often still in a very useable condition. We think it's wonderful (from both the point of view of the planet and the local community) that charities are able to use A Good Thing to do good in their own local areas.
Dressed to impress
People have diverse lived experiences. Caregiving responsibilities, financial difficulties and low confidence are just a few of the many factors that can impact employability. Moxie People (a branch of the Moxie Foundation) is a recruitment agency in Wales focusing on the important stuff: a candidate’s skillset, passion and values.
Moxie People also understands the importance of a good first impression. However, for those experiencing clothing poverty, finding a smart outfit for a job interview is a challenge in itself. Accordingly, Working Wardrobe was born. Working Wardrobe provides interview attire for prospective employees and then also supplies high-quality workwear when they land the job.
Working Wardrobe takes its commitment to positive change one step further. Rather than contribute to the snowballing fashion industry, Working Wardrobe partners with textile outlets and community partners in nearby South Wales to distribute pre-loved clothing. This keeps clothing out of landfill and on the backs of jobseekers and employees.
Giving hangers a new home
When Working Wardrobe found itself with a 1-tonne surplus of clothing hangers, A Good Thing was there to connect one wonderful organisation with another. A portion of the hangers quickly found a new home at the Pet Food Bank Service in nearby Barry. Debi Emmett, the organiser of the Pet Food Bank Service, has a clear goal: ‘to keep pets at home where they belong, with full tummies’.
But why would pets need clothes hangers? In addition to collecting and distributing pet food to those who need it, the Pet Food Bank Service runs a community pop-up shop that sells clothes, as well as household and pet items. The funds raised from the shop keep the pet food bank running. As Debi told us, the clothing hangers ‘not only helped us to display the clothes, but the dog coats too’. Turns out, sometimes pets do need clothes hangers too!
Could your business donate items to charity rather than sending them to landfill? We asked our contact Rachel Rodrigues at Working Wardrobe if she would recommend A Good Thing to other organisations. Her response: ‘I already have!’