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Any given Monday or Thursday finds Judy Farrell and Chris Sheridan behind the Dutch door of the "giveaway room" at the Sister Maureen Joyce Center soup kitchen in Albany, facing a line of about three dozen low-income or homeless patrons of the center.

The two volunteers have an unusual but important task: making sure that the center's clients get the clothing and toiletries they need - for free.

Thrift stores operated by parishes or retailers usually charge low prices for "gently used" items. The giveaway room charges nothing and often supplies new clothing, but simultaneously offers patrons dignity and respect, according to volunteers.

Mary Sheridan (no relation to Chris, who runs the soup kitchen) recounted one example: In mid-February, a client was offered a blue hooded sweatshirt. The person asked if there might be a red one available instead, "because it's Valentine's Day."

Without batting an eye, Chris Sheridan and Ms. Farrell sorted through a box in search of a red hoodie. Though they didn't have one, "we don't just hand things to people and say, 'It's good enough for them,'" said Ms. Farrell. "We're fussy."

If someone asks for a particular sweater, she said, "We match the sweater to the shirt underneath."

How it works
Patrons of the giveaway room usually come for a hot meal at the soup kitchen and then stand in line to ask for specific clothing and toiletry items.

Often, what someone receives from the giveaway room is the only change of clothing he or she has had for a week, the volunteers said. Patrons may ask for soap and a towel, then wash up and put on the new shirt or socks.

"They don't have washers and dryers," Ms. Farrell said simply.

Sweatshirts, especially hoodies, as well as jeans, backpacks and shoes, are such hot commodities that Ms. Farrell and Ms. Sheridan scan store sale flyers every week and stop at Boscov's or Walmart to stock up on items. They cover the cost with financial donations from local parishes and groups.

"I've become an expert on men's underwear," Ms. Farrell said wryly. "Boxer-briefs, boxers, just plain briefs....A lot of them prefer boxers, because they wear their pants down low. For our budget, they're expensive, but we do spring for them."

The pair also brings donated clothing home to wash and mend. Ms. Sheridan noted that a stack of fashionable Michael Kors brand coats was recently donated by a store because they'd been damaged in opening the boxes. The volunteers tucked the stuffing back in and sewed up the holes before offering the coats to patrons.

Warming up
Even in this unusually-warm winter, heavy clothing is requested constantly. Most patrons dress in layers.

"We get guys who are living on the street or in somebody's cold basement," Ms. Sheridan explained.

On a recent day when the giveaway room was open, "one older man came with his nephew. He wanted some warmer pants. We gave him some, and a couple of flannel shirts. A woman came [who] wanted a winter coat."

She recalled another young woman last winter who showed up at the giveaway room having just been released from Albany County Jail. In that bitterly cold winter, all she had to wear on her feet were flip-flops.

"Shoes are very much in demand, but we don't get very many donations," Ms. Sheridan remarked.

The volunteer was excited when a patron recently asked for size-13 men's sneakers and she actually unearthed a pair; she wouldn't go so far as calling it a miracle, but laughed that it was "a coincidence facilitated by God."

Adults and kids
Another past patron of the giveaway room was Htee Paw, a refugee from Myanmar who died on the streets of Albany in December 2014. Both volunteers shook their heads at the memory of giving the 23-year-old some clothing. Her body was found near the city's World War II memorial; it was determined that her death was caused by chronic liver disease.

What bothers Ms. Farrell even more is to see children come to the giveaway room with parents or other adults. "We try to keep a few little toys or books around" to offer young children, she said, and the volunteers sympathize with parents asking for clothing for teenagers who aren't present.

"I have four grandsons, and I know how difficult it can be to get these kids" to spend time with adults, she remarked.

In addition to clothing, personal care items are popular requests from the giveaway room. Mary Sheridan listed soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant and hand sanitizer -- as well as lotion with sunscreen, "because many of our folks are sleeping in a park."

Toiletries 'like gold'
Sample-sized toiletries that fit in a pocket, she said, "are like gold to us." Homeless patrons might find a place to take a shower, but it's hard to carry a full-sized bottle of shampoo in a backpack that holds all of one's worldly belongings.

Ms. Farrell uses her personal-shopper talents to get good deals on toiletries, too. "I spend a lot of time in dollar stores," she said, though "ShopRite often has toothpaste for 69 cents. That's less than a dollar!"

Sadly, the volunteers said, they have to limit toiletry items to two per person, since their stock of items dwindles so quickly. Patrons understand, said Chris Sheridan, and will even say, "I'm not going to take a lot of stuff, because there's other people that need it."

Rationing isn't a goal for the giveaway room, though, and neither is making money. Ms. Sheridan said she's glad all the items are free.

Give it away
"Why charge?" she said. "A lot of the people that most need the stuff don't have money. They don't get unlimited amounts of stuff, but we give people what they need."

Out-of-season clothing is stored until it's needed, but "we don't hold back on anything. What would we be saving it for?" Ms. Farrell said, adding: "One person is as entitled as the next."

One client, "Rita," just asked for and delightedly received a dressy sweater with the tags still on it. As far as the volunteers know, she and her husband live on the street.

"Rita wanted that sweater. Anything they want, they can have," said Ms. Farrell. "We provide as much dignity as possible."



**********************************************************[[In-content Ad]]In related news, more than 70 representatives from Catholic Charities agencies across New York State met in Albany in early February for a day of advocacy with lawmakers on three issues of concern in the state budget: subsidized child care, supportive housing and fair wages.

Catholic Charities asked for:

•  an investment of $190 million to support 13,000 new childcare subsidies and to fully fund health and safety requirements included in the federal Child Care Development Block Grant;

•  supportive housing to combat homelessness (which has nearly doubled in New York in the last decade), pairing affordable housing with on-site supportive services. "Campaign 4 NY/NY Housing" wants to create 35,000 supportive housing units; the Medicaid Redesign Team supports additional permanent supportive housing projects; and

•  an increase in the minimum wage for the lowest-paid human services employees and increases to the remaining members of its workforce who haven't seen adequate increases for several years. (KB)

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