Click on logo / icon below:

Mission:  The Sharing Shelf, Westchester's Clothing Bank for Children, combats clothing insecurity and meets basic material needs among low-income children and families in Westchester County.

Major Programs: 

• Clothing Bank: stocked with donations of new and secondhand clothing and inventory from the apparel industry. Trained volunteers create Wardrobe Packs, a week’s worth of seasonally appropriate clothing matched to a child’s sizing needs.
• Teen Boutique: serves the unique needs of teenagers, providing them the ability to choose their own clothing fits and styles. Teens who lack appropriate clothing are at high-risk of dropping out. Teen Boutique builds their confidence, so they stay in school. Throughout the year, The Sharing Shelf transports clothing and racks to a variety of nonprofits and community centers, to create free “shopping” events. Each teen who attends may choose a week’s worth of clothing and receives period products and full-size toiletries.
• Backpacks to School: provide new backpacks packed with grade appropriate supplies for low-income students. Individuals and businesses donate the funds to purchase everything needed. Teachers shape the packing lists to ensure that students receive what they need for the school year.
• Additional Programs: distribute essential items through partnerships with 52 area nonprofits and schools, including winter coats, diapers, period products, hygiene kits, 285 holiday gifts.

Project: Teen Boutique-In Real Life (IRL) (New program and expansion of an existing program)

Sharing Shelf seeks to create a permanent Teen Boutique location in Port Chester, adjacent to their existing warehouse and offices. If awarded the Transformational Project Grant, the funding will be used to design and construct a welcoming clothing boutique for low-income teens with dressing rooms, racks, shelving, and other accessories to display inventory, and to cover the initial cost of clothing, underwear, and other essentials to enhance their current stock.This new and enhanced program will increase Sharing Shelf’s impact in two ways:

• On-site Teen Boutique: Group shopping events held in the new space will provide greater access to teens served by organizations which lack appropriate space to host off-site Teen Boutique events. The new space will have the look and feel of a retail store, with racks, displays and dressing rooms – all to maximize the dignity and confidence of our clients. The Sharing Shelf will continue to offer off-site seasonal Teen Boutique events when appropriate.
• Emergency Clothing Access: Individual teens impacted by crisis or emergencies will be able to visit Teen Boutique, where they can make their own clothing selections with privacy and dignity. This will be the first and only program of its kind in Westchester County. Over the years, volunteers have packed emergency clothing for teens escaping domestic violence, human trafficking, entering shelter after being kicked out of home by family, displaced by fire, and new arrivals to New York who lacked seasonally appropriate or sufficient clothing. Now, many of these teens will be able to select clothing of their choice in a warm, welcoming and supportive environment.