“When many of our patients come to the hospital, they only have the clothes they’re wearing,” explains Social Worker John Berrios. “They’re facing homelessness, poverty, and limited resources.”
Berrios had long considered reaching out to local retailers to ask for clothing donations. Eventually, he talked to one of his friends, who works for footwear company Rugged Shark—and was surprised when the company sent 200 pairs of shoes.
“That’s when I talked to my bosses and said I wanted to make this a bigger thing,” says Berrios.
He then connected with Dara Elbaum, an advanced standing Master’s student at Temple University’s School of Social Work who’s interning at Episcopal.
“I’ve been researching thrift stores and local businesses and contacting them to let them know about our mission,” Elbaum explains. “And I’ve been getting a lot of emails back.”
An Outpouring of Generosity
Those emails have led to donations—first from Philly AIDS Thrift, which sent about 50 pieces of men’s and women’s clothing, including loungewear, pajamas, and athleisure.
“We told them we needed a lot of men’s clothing, because that’s something we don’t have as much of, and they delivered,” Elbaum says.
The second donation came from black-owned Norristown clothing brand D’iyanu LLC. “I found them when I was searching for Philly-based clothing brands with missions that align with ours,” Elbaum recalls. “They donated about $15,000 worth of clothing, including 800 sets of brand-new pajamas, which was incredible.”
“It looks like a fashion show on the units,” Berrios laughs. “Everyone is wearing their new clothes.”
“It’s so nice to be handed an outfit that’s clean and straight out of the package,” adds Briana Stinson, LCSW, Episcopal’s Director of Therapeutic Programming. “It just makes you feel good, you know?”
A Vision for Future Partnerships
The third donation came from upscale consignment store Greene Street, which sent five bags of clothing. And Berrios and Elbaum don’t intend to stop anytime soon.
“We’d love to work with national brands,” Elbaum explains.
“We’re also going to try to get hair care donations,” adds Berrios. “Items like wigs really boost a lot of our patients’ self-esteem.”
There’s also been an overwhelmingly positive response to the existing donations. “It’s been so good that some of the patients have actually requested stuff from me,” Berrios says. “They’re like, ‘Do you think I can get a sweatshirt next time?’”
“These donations provide more than a sense of physical comfort,” says Stinson. “They restore dignity and a sense of worth during a vulnerable time.”