Community Involvement

 

To be transparent about the clothing drive, how it started, and what happens to the clothes here Matthew J. Knee, the coordinator of this event has written this letter in the hopes that it answers to answer your questions.

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Hello everyone, 

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First, thank you to everyone who has responded to this even and an especially large thank you to those who have helped to support us bring value and deliver positive impacts to our community in each and everyway. 

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Every year I coordinate with friends, clients, and other community minded people to help increase the impact that we can have. From the other local businesses that offer up their businesses to increase the accessibility for donations, to where we store the clothes, to the actual act of laundering each item of clothing that comes through the drive. This year, that last aspect is especially important due to Covid-19 and I ask that everyone who decides to donate, to please wrap your donations in a plastic bag so we may easily disinfect them and limit the exposure. 

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While distributing the clothes, there really isn’t one specific charity that I coordinate with... I started this because I was upset that companies like Salvation Army and Goodwill have turned charity into a business and I believe that has had a negative impact to the original goal of uplifting those around us. 

 

As such, I have worked to make this whole project as complete and direct to source an actual charitable cause can be.

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I do have a focus on three things

1) Benefactors in our local community

2) Homeless Veterans

3) Children facing adversity

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For the kids:

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I have friends who are teachers throughout the state and work directly with or know of children and families that need help. This network has been getting bigger every year – always looking for more people who can help out directly like this. I also work with Easter Seals to help the children that they’re working with. This year, I'm trying to connect with Mount Prospect Academy , which is a state sanctioned placement program (boarding and reform school) in Plymouth for kids who have problemed home lives.

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For the homeless and the homeless veterans:

I coordinate with the Victory House in Manchester who assist homeless veterans. I do direct deliveries throughout the season to tent towns, soup kitchens, and try to keep a couple premade outfits in the car so give out as I’m cruising around doing my actual job.

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I hope this helps you to understand my drive to better our community. 

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! Please let me know if you have any further questions or know of another outlet that could either benefit from us or benefit us by responding to the contact us now page on our website or by liking us on Facebook and sending us a message

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Best, 

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Matthew J. Knee

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