Florida State University’s Career Center is launching its fifth annual Spring Cleaning with Meaning Clothing Drive, called “Restock the Racks,” to support students in need of professional attire. The drive will take place from March 2 through April 3, with an official kickoff event scheduled for Friday, March 6, at the Westcott Fountain and Plaza.
The Professional Clothing Closet offers free business clothing to FSU students for interviews, internships, career fairs, presentations and other professional experiences. Last academic year, over 3,100 students used the service. The center continues to face challenges maintaining sufficient inventory and is seeking donations of gently used professional clothing throughout the year.
This spring’s goal is to collect at least 3,000 items of clothing and raise $10,000 to address increasing demand among students and keep the closet stocked for future needs.
“By donating to the closet, you’re giving students an advantage to excel in their academic and career pursuits with confidence and professionalism,” said Heather Lazar, senior assistant director of Employer Relations. “This year marks an exciting milestone as we introduce our first-ever kickoff event, designed to celebrate past donors, honor the students who rely on the closet and provide a convenient opportunity for supporters to drop off clothing donations in person.”
The most needed items include women’s suits, blazers, dress slacks, skirts, dresses and blouses (with a preference for small sizes), men’s suits and dress shirts (small sizes preferred), like-new dress shoes in all sizes and accessories such as ties and belts. Donations should be clean and lightly used; items not suitable for business settings will be given to local charities.
Donors can contribute at various locations across campus or at Champions First Credit Union branches or Southwood Association Community Center in Tallahassee. Curbside drop-off appointments are available at the Career Center. A special community donation event will be held on Saturday, March 28 at Thomasville Road Baptist Church from 2:30 – 5 p.m.
Monetary contributions are also accepted via direct donation to the Professional Clothing Closet Foundation account (F09092) to help purchase essential items that may not be donated in kind.
More information about supporting FSU’s Professional Clothing Closet can be found at https://career.fsu.edu/ClothingCloset.
