Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell and Jody Barnet, Circle of Hope Director of Operations, load the more than 100 articles of smart casual clothing and business attire donated through the "Suits for Success" program into a Circle of Hope van.
Needham, MA – Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell donated a carload of smart casual clothing and business attire totaling more than 100 articles of clothing to Circle of Hope in Needham through the “Suits for Success” program.
Many individuals struggling with homelessness do not have the recourses to own professional attire, which can hurt their ability to secure employment or advance in their careers. The “Suits for Success” program aims to address this issue by providing individuals with the necessary clothing to present themselves professionally in the workplace.
“Every day, our team is so energized and inspired by the incredible generosity of our community. When we have an urgent donation need, we always know we can count on our donors to rally around that need,” said Carolyn Conley-Das, Communications Manager for Circle of Hope. “During the COVID-19 shutdown, many of our partner programs temporarily stopped accepting gently used clothing, but thanks to the Registry of Deeds’ donation and many others, Circle of Hope had enough clothing that had been safely stored and “quarantined” at our donation center that we never missed a delivery throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Circle of Hope’s mission is to provide people experiencing homelessness with clothing and hygiene essentials to protect and enhance their overall health and personal dignity. They strive to improve clothing and hygiene access for the community’s most vulnerable neighbors in Boston and MetroWest.
Register O’Donnell remarked, “We’re happy to assist Needham’s Circle of Hope. I thank all those who donated to our ‘Suits for Success’ program, and I hope other local residents and businesses will consider making a clothing donation. The program is truly needed, and it’s a great resource for the community.”
Last year, Circle of Hope served more than 22,000 people experiencing homelessness, providing the essential items they needed to stay healthy, safe, and warm.
“Circle of Hope’s donations are a real lifeline for families in crisis. Survivors of domestic violence sometimes arrive in our partner emergency shelters with only the clothing they are wearing, and they literally cannot leave the shelter until Circle of Hope arrives with new clothing for them,” said Conley-Das.
Since the Registry started the “Suits for Success” program in February 2009, it has collected more than 10,000 articles of clothing.
“During the past decade, we have learned that programs like ‘Suits for Success’ work," said O’Donnell. “Professional attire is not just clothing it is a valuable resource and represents an opportunity that can aid individuals on the path to success and ultimately help them achieve self-sufficiency.”
The “Suits for Success” program, developed by Register O’Donnell, partners with groups like Interfaith Social Services of Quincy, Father Bill’s & MainSpring of Quincy, the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Voluntary Service Program, Circle of Hope in Needham, United Parish’s Thrifty Threads, Suits and Smiles in Jamaica Plain, and InnerCity Weightlifting on our ‘Suits for Success’ program to assist those who are in need of clothing as well as household items. The mission of “Suits for Success” is to collect donations of suitable clothing to be distributed to individuals who may need appropriate attire for employment interviews.
“I am proud that the “Suits for Success” program and its partnership with numerous local community support organizations have been able to provide support for so many,” said O’Donnell. “It is rewarding just to help others in our community who are less fortunate.”