On Saturday, April 27th, 2024, over 250 Central Florida community members gathered to deliver hope, together at Light Orlando’s annual community clothing drive. Volunteers worked together tirelessly to sort through nearly 16,000 articles of clothing, over 750 pairs of shoes, and additional miscellaneous items donated by individuals and organizations to support Central Floridians in need. In just one day, an incredible grand total of 56,098 new and used items were sorted and donated to charity partners across the region.
Among these items were clothing for all seasons including business professional clothing to support those searching for employment, diapers, and even clean socks- something many take for granted each day.
Local media outlet and Light Orlando partner, News 6 Orlando joined the organization and volunteers to capture feedback about the event. Sally Ipson, who is currently serving her two-year mission in Central Florida and is focused on assisting community members find employment said, “It feels wonderful to think that there are this many people in the community that care and really want to make a difference in the lives of people.” Kurt Scherer, Stake president for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints stated “as we serve together we can help the community do that, and also know that there’s more to come. That’s the vision of what the church does and what Light Orlando does.”
Samantha Espanosa of the One Heart Foundation, one of the many organizations who will receive donations to distribute to the community, was able to share her insight on the benefits of these events, stating “We see a lot of people who are experiencing homelessness, some who are with their kids living in their car, some who are living in camps in the woods, so this just helps us make sure that even if it’s a day of two worth of clothing we can give them something clean and ready to go. It’s just really nice to give them this little dignity piece where they don’t have to be in the same outfit.”
This year’s Light Orlando Community Clothing Drive was a true testament to the power of collective action. It was about harnessing the spirit of giving and creating a ripple effect of kindness that resonated throughout Central Florida. Though the generous donations of both items and time from volunteers, we were once again able to deliver hope, together, proving time and time again that as individuals we can shine bright, but when we work together, we can shine a light so bright the world can see it.
Watch the YouTube Video Recap of the event!
Check out more photos from the event here!
Interested in volunteering at our next event? Learn more here!
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