Q: What separates FCBC From other Clothing organizations?

Unlike other local clothing organizations, our donations are never left in the elements. They are stored in a dry, heated facility that’s organized and staffed by around the clock security (see pictures of our storage facility on our Facebook Page). All donated items are sorted, and soiled items are cleaned prior to being distributed. Anything that is damaged or too worn to be give out is recycled through proper channels.

Organizations such as Big Brothers and the Diabetes Association collect your donations and sell them to Value Village for pennies per pound. With FCBC, EVERYTHING that you donate goes where it’s supposed to go, to people in genuine need, no questions asked.

Donated items that can’t be used are recycled through proper channels. We NEVER sell donated clothing or footwear, no matter what the clothing may be worth.

Q: Where do FCBC Donations come from?

FCBC donations come from a number of sources. We collect the leftover items from a number of local kids swap, the overstock from thrift stores, and the unclaimed items from a few local consignment shops. We also receive donations from a few retailers, who have asked that we don’t reveal their store names. Many of our donations come from individuals and families who are purging their unneeded items. Some of our most frequent donators are people who have benefited from our program in the past and want to repay the kindness.

Some donations, such as the soaps, diapers and toiletries, come from our volunteers who pay for them out of pocket.

Q: What do volunteers get for their efforts?

Volunteers are not provided any gas budget, vehicle allowance or any benefit other than a chance to gather clothing for their own families, and the satisfaction of helping others.

Q: How do venues get organized and chosen?

Some venues have approached us and we’ve worked with them on an ideal setup, others we have approached with an action plan. Venues are chosen based primarily on location, as our events work best in areas where there is a great need and high amount of traffic. Churches are the ideal partner as they’re most willing to help the less fortunate and often have the largest buildings to work with. We are also willing to set up events in school gymnasiums, or run mini-events in low-income housing complexes.