Claire’s Closet at the Palisades Methodist Church needs restocking with supplies for local people experiencing homelessness.
A supply drive to support the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness will be held on Saturday, October 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, October 17, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Community United Methodist Church, 801 Via de la Paz.
People will be able to drive through to drop off items such as men’s pants sizes 32 to 36, men’s casual wear (all sizes), jackets (men and women’s), sweaters, sweatshirts, blankets, sleeping bags, rain ponchos, socks and shoes and hygiene supplies.
Claire’s Closet was started by Claire Healy in 2019. As she worked for a Girl Scout Gold Award, she wanted to do something for those in need in Pacific Palisades, her hometown.
She met with the Task Force on Homelessness and learned that the two outreach workers from The People Concern, Glanda Sherman and Jessi Cortez, often use inducements such as socks and toothpaste as a way of building trust with homeless people. Once trust is established, it becomes easier for the social workers to eventually convince these people to receive vouchers so they can be housed.
Sherman keeps the items in her car and when asked by Healy what would be helpful, she said, “We could use a storage space in the Palisades.”
The Methodist Church fortunately has an outside closet, which became Claire’s Closet, where social workers can access supplies without having to enter the church or the preschool.
Healy is now a student at UC Berkeley. If anyone has questions about donations, contact DeAnn Healy at pdhealy@msn.com.
Suggested HYGIENE items: Soap bar, Chapstick, combs, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, hand sanitizer, lotion, nail clippers, tissues, toothpaste and toothbrush and wipes.