My Sister's Closet to auction off WWII bomber jacket, tropical vacations, more
My Sister's Closet initially started as a 4-foot clothing rack at a farmers' market in 1998. It was supposed to be just a lending closet of donated professional attire for women in need to borrow for job interviews. Unbeknownst to them, they were fulfilling a deep gap of services the community at-large wanted to pitch in to fill.
"We got to the farmers' market on Saturday, and in a period of about five hours, we collected what might be considered half a semi-load of clothes,” founder and executive director Sandy Keller said.
Now, with expanded services and an impending need for relocation, the nonprofit is calling on its community for help again.
My Sister's Closet helps refugees, single mothers and more
The nonprofit has two faces: a thrift boutique for anyone to purchase discounted clothes and a network of support for women in need. In addition to giving out professional attire and feminine hygiene products, the nonprofit provides access to mentors and advocates who work with women in need of resume building or job interview training.
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"This is about helping a woman remarket who she is so that a future employer will look at her as someone who will fit more easily into the culture of their job. We are trying to help them remarket themselves with the way they're seen on paper, with what comes out of their mouth and how they talk about themselves and answer questions and, of course, how they appear professionally,” Keller described.
One of the most pressing prejudices Keller has seen is against someone who is in extreme poverty.
"Maybe you think they're going to be unreliable and not come into work. Maybe you think that they're going to not be educated enough to be able to have a critical thinking conversation or be able to do their job. Maybe you think that they're going to call in sick more or that they're going to have more accidents. Maybe you think they're not going to stay on the job an entire year," Keller said.
A lot of that prejudice initially manifests based on how one dresses, Keller described.
"Unfortunately, the ways that we present ourselves to other human beings tell other human beings about our current status," Keller said.
My Sister's Closet serves women from various backgrounds and circumstances. Sometimes, it's a woman with a substance abuse disorder, readjusting to life after having spent some time in jail. Other times, it's an elderly woman, whose retirement does not fully cover her living expenses or has had to unexpectedly take on raising young grandchildren.
It could also be people who have resettled here in Bloomington after a natural disaster, such as the deadly tornadoes in Kentucky and Hurricane Ian in Florida. The nonprofit also serves many single mothers, some of whom underwent divorce or fled domestic violence.
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"A long time ago in the '50s, there weren't many mothers working outside of the home, and the man took care of feeding his entire family on just his salary. But we do not live in a world like that anymore," Keller said. "It's really expensive to live in Bloomington and it’s expensive to put food on the table and to take care of kids. It's not easy for a single parent to do that.”
Helping refugees find their way in Bloomington
This year, the nonprofit has seen an influx of refugees, such as those from Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and Egypt, who have requested their service.
"There's still a lot of places around the world that are in upheaval right now, and people are fleeing those situations to be able to improve the status of their lives and often the lives of their children,” Keller said.
One of the initial obstacles to U.S. employment for refugees is language. Through My Sister's Closet's newly established English immersion program, these women can work or volunteer at the nonprofit's storefront while improving on their English-speaking skills. Keller noted modern technology advances have allowed My Sister's Closet to use real-time translation software for most languages so the women can be understood in their native tongue. The nonprofit has served about 20 to 30 refugees since officially starting its specialized program this year.
Whatever it was that led women to their doorstep, My Sister's Closet wants to help them find stability through a steady income and job security.
“When a woman is coming to My Sister's Closet, she has made it clear that she wants to be determined and courageous in every way she needs to be so she can get better,” Keller said.
Before the pandemic, My Sister's Closet served about 150 to 200 women with vouchers each year, but the nonprofit's impact cannot fully be measured, according to Keller.
"We have a lot of women coming through here that aren't official clients, but maybe they need a pair of warm gloves because it's cold out," Keller said.
A nonprofit in need: moving costs, employee pay
While clothing donations are paused right now due to an influx of materials, My Sister's Closet needs support in other ways. Faced with a near future move and costs to maintain services, the nonprofit is hoping for more monetary suport from the community.
"My Sister's Closet is a grassroots organization in Bloomington. There may be other entities out there with the name My Sister's Closet, but we stand alone and we are mostly self-funded," Keller said. "We need people to come in the door and buy clothing or write monetary check donations to be able to support our services."
The nonprofit has had its brick and mortar at 414 S. College Ave. since 2015, but that property is owned by the county with plans to eventually include it in the Monroe County Convention Center's stalled expansion. Because talks between city and county officials have yet to move the project forward, My Sister's Closet lease was extended until the end of 2024, though they could still be given notice by the county to leave before then.
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"The truth of the matter is really we still need to raise money just in case,” Keller said.
Money is also needed to better fund its workers and retain its services. The store has about eight employees, mostly part-time, with the average person working about 20 hours each week.
"They are not making a living wage," Keller said. "We are taking a lot less than what we have made at other times in our lives because we believe in the work that's being done here."
Dinner, auction on Saturday; tickets still available
In order to raise money, My Sister's Closet is hosting a Celebration of Service event at the American Legion Post No. 18, 1800 W. Third St., this Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The event is themed after the 1940s, with lively swing and jazz numbers from the Shyaam Akasha Band. “Rosie The Riveter,” played by Connie Shakalis, will serve as the comedic emcee.
While dining on a buffet and appetizers, attendees will hear success stories from some of the nonprofit's clients and take part in a live auction. The auction features a host of deals, such as a five-course dinner with wine pairings by Chef Matt Plaisier at a local 1870’s restored mansion. Vacation destinations are up for grabs in Bali, Palm Springs, South Africa's Kruger National Park and more. There's also local deals such as a Hard Truth Distilling gift basket or a personal training package through Anytime Fitness.
One of the auction's most unique item is an authentic World War II bomber jacket, donated with a bullet in the pocket. Even if some can't attend in-person, people can also bid on the items online at Charityauction.bid/mysisterscloset.
More information about the event, including purchasing tickets, can be found at sisterscloset.org/celebratingservice/.
Tickets are still on sale now. General admission is $55 per person or $100 for a pair. People can reserve a table for 6 or 8 people at the price of $300 and $400 respectively. Veterans and frontline workers receive a discounted ticket deal for $35 each or $65 for two. For the first 50 veterans who reserve a seat, tickets are reduced to $25 each; to make a reservation prior, contact My Sister's Closet at 812-333-7710.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington nonprofit helping women in need raises money thru auction
