Cookeville’s This Is Living Ministry needs clothing donations for its women trying to re-enter society.
Daytime House Manager Kendra Martin said the ministry helps women recover from addiction, often times after legal issues. Martin said that new clothes are expensive, and it is difficult to go out and buy these items every time someone new joins the program.
“Our students that come from jail, and especially prison, they don’t have any clothes ever,” Martin said. “So we’re pulling out of bins that we have donations stored in. And we are always, always ready and willing to receive and kind of clothing donations that are well, that are gently used or new.”
Martin said donations do not need to be brand new. Items just need to have plenty of life left in them.
Martin said participants also come in lacking confidence and self esteem. Martin said the center likes to put program students in nice clothes because doing so makes them feel a sense of importance.
Martin said a specific need is large bras.
“Getting sober and being in recovery a lot of times, there’s a lot of weight gain with that,” Martin said. “Not having the right clothes to not look frumpy or to not feel like you are a hand me down because all you have is frumpy hand me downs. That’s a big deal and that impacts the way we feel about ourselves, so we love to be able to help these women be confident.”
Although Martin said identity should not be derived from physical appearance, she hopes the program helps students like they way they look. She said it is important for people to feel good in their own skin as they transition into a new life.
Martin said clothes are not the only donation accepted. She said they always need hygiene items like soap, deodorant, and razors. Martin said bags and purses are also accepted.
“We always need shoes of any size,” Martin said. “I think we’re good on school supplies right now. We go through a lot of notebooks and paper, so if someone wanted to donate those we would definitely take them and have them for later.”
Martin said the only items that need to be new are intimates and undergarments.