Danville Students Seeking Professional Clothing For Charity Drive

DANVILLE, CA — A group of Monte Vista High School juniors are collecting professional clothing to help underserved populations succeed in job interviews and the workplace.

Four students - Ruhikaa Pannem, Roma Singh, Sonya Paleja, and Venya Iyer - started Career Closet in 2023 after a mentor at an internship told them that people seeking jobs did not have the resources necessary to purchase the proper attire. They also learned of the issue through volunteering with the unhoused in Oakland.

“We have one-on-one conversations with people,” one of the organizers said in an interview. “Those conversations are very genuine, and we’ve heard that one of their main concerns is finding a job. Through those interactions, we identified this as something we wanted to work on.”

Since then, the group has organized in partnership with the Danville Library that was able to collect over 250 articles of clothes. The clothes were donated over 300 articles of clothing to over 150 individuals in need with the help of partner organizations like Love Never Fails, Miracles Men’s Home, and Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency.

“[We hope to] empower individuals seeking employment by providing free professional attire and career development resources. We are committed to fostering confidence and supporting every step toward career success—one outfit at a time,” the group said on its website.

Through the end of February, Career Closet is seeking professional clothing for both men and women, including:

• Dress pants
• Jackets
• Formal shirts
• Women’s blouses
• Dress shoes
• Ties
• Belts

The clothes are being collected in a donation bin at the Danville Library with a sign for Career Closet. People can make donations during regular library hours. They are also accepting monetary donations through PayPal.

The group is also hoping to help with other aspects of job readiness. They are partnering with San Francisco nonprofit Rebirth to create a curriculum covering all aspects of obtaining and maintaining a job. They’re bringing in guest speakers to discuss issues like business etiquette, attire, communication, and more. They hope to finish the curriculum by the end of March, and hold sessions in community centers around the region. They’re also hoping to create a written resource guide covering similar topics.

For more information or to get involved, visit their website.

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