Through the Business Clothing Program, Clothes The Deal responds to the critical need of job service agencies and their participants. The high quality, new and recycled men's and women's professional attire and accessories are a perfect benefit for those who cannot afford appropriate clothing. Clothes The Deal provides low-income job seekers a professional image and sense of support that comes from being a part of a larger network of sponsors. Through corporate clothing drives, a network of drop-off locations and donations directly from manufacturers and retailers, Clothes The Deal is able to collect ready-to-wear items. Clothing orders are available for delivery or pick-up. Agencies that provide transportation may visit the boutique in Downey with their participants. Clothes The Deal offers a full boutique with changing rooms and staff to help participants find the right business suit. At full capacity, the site has room for up to ten participants at one time
Clothes The Deal workshops are designed to help educate and enhance the participants' self-esteem and professional image for employment. The workshops focus on six main areas of developing a professional image: Self-Confidence, Business Etiquette, Wardrobe, Accessories, Hair, and Make-up. The workshops range in level of services depending on the level of need of the participants. One of the benefits of having Clothes The Deal facilitate workshops is that it can have a workshop on site of the partnering agency if needed. Clothes The Deal makes it extremely easy for the participants to attend a workshop by bringing the clothing and services to them. Clothes The Deal believes that by adding this additional workshop program to the organization, it will be able to reach additional agencies in Los Angeles that may not be receiving clothing from Clothes The Deal. The goal is not only to provide clothing, but also to provide additional services that are necessary to help obtain employment.
Clothes The Deal currently collaborates with 13 different nonprofit organizations that specialize in services to disabled populations. Data collected by Clothes The Deal, through needs assessments from these organizations, indicated the need for additional clothing services for disabled. The assessments indicated there were no available resources to provide the needed adaptive clothing. The ability to provide basic alterations for Clothes The Deal's disabled clients would increase employment opportunities for the clients served. Basic alterations include replacing buttons with Velcro, adding padding to protect from contact sores, and adding elastic to shoes, pants, skirts, etc. Clothes The Deal considers this program approach innovative because it is different from any other agency dealing with this population. There is no current source of adaptive clothing for low-income and disabled individuals. Clothes The Deal thanks NBC Universal & Telemundo for providing a $50,000 grant to help launch the Adaptive Program.
Clothes The Deal was recently recognized by the South Coast Interfaith Council for "advocating and constructing communities of compassion and human understanding." The recognition was even more relevant in these times of promoting and nurturing people to be the best that they can be. We are all part of that effort whether we are working in an organization such as Clothes The Deal, or just being a part of a society that passes people on a street such as a mall, or being part of a family. We all affect our environment in some way or another. Make your affect positive. Did you know it takes more muscles to frown than to smile? Use your muscles to smile and make someone happy! That may be the only smile they get that day.