Clothe
As the saying goes, “clothes make the man.” Clothes give us the dignity to present our best face to the world. We need coats and hats in the winter to keep us warm; we need shoes on our feet to carry us out into the world. Through donations from our friends and supporters, the Baldwin Center helps to clothe our neighbors.
Clothing Closet
The Clothes Closet provides a wide range of clothing, shoes and winter weather items to area men, women and children. We also welcome people from HAVEN, a local domestic violence shelter, and other area partners. In a typical year, more than 13,000 people visit our Clothing Closet.
To donate items: We welcome donations of clean, gently used men’s, women’s and children’s clothes, shoes, winter coats and boots. We also accept sheets and blankets in good condition and small household items. These items are reserved for clients refurnishing their homes after a house fire or homeless people transitioning into a new home.
The Clothes Closet is open for donations:
Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm
To shop the closet: The Clothes Closet is open to all Pontiac area residents. If you or some you know would like to visit the Clothes Closet, our shopping hours are:
Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9 am – 3 pm
Tuesday & Thursday, 9 am – Noon
Lighten Your Load Laundry Service
“Cleanliness is next to Godliness” or it certainly feels that way to many. But how do you get your clothes clean when you are homeless or living in a shelter with no money for the Laundromat? Baldwin Center provides free use of our washers and dryers to nearly 400 individuals and families every year. Our appliances clean and dry more than 1600 loads and thanks to generous donors, we can offer free detergent, too.
Hats & Gloves
Bitter Michigan winters bring the risk of hyperthermia and frostbite. The Baldwin Center gives hats and gloves to anyone who visits our Family Soup Kitchen in the winter. We distribute over 700 sets of hats and gloves each season thanks to friends who organize collections of these items.
Holiday Store
The holidays are difficult for families struggling to make ends meet. We partner with North Oakland Holiday Clearinghouse to make sure that low-income families will have a happy holiday. Each family member receives a new sweatshirt or sweatpants, new underwear, socks, gloves, a hat and holiday gift just for them. Thanks to the donations made by our friends and supporters we are able to brighten the season for 300 local families (1300 individuals).
Back-to-School Program
Heading back to school is so much more exciting when you have a new backpack filled with a fresh box of crayons or markers, newly sharpened pencils, crisp notebooks and glue sticks still in their plastic wrappers. With help from lots of our friends, the Baldwin Center distributes backpacks to 600 students each fall. We also provide schools clothes, underwear, socks and shoes to those children most in need so they can start school feeling cared for and ready to learn.
Diapers & Layettes
The arrival of a new baby is a joyful event. To help neighborhood families give newborns a warm welcome, the Baldwin Center provides new layette items to those in need. We also accept donations of diapers in all sizes (larger sizes are in high demand), which we offer free to mothers and caregivers.
Feminine Hygeine Products
Living on the street or living on very low-incomes makes taking care of basic feminine hygeine difficult especially when food stamps does not cover the cost of the necessary products. Thanks to generous donors Baldwin will provide a small supply of tampons and or sanitary nampkins to women in need.
