ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Volunteers with Light Orlando spent their Saturday morning getting results for charities across Central Florida.
Light Orlando held its annual closet clean-out event where volunteers sorted through donated clothes, shoes and other items.
In 2024, the organization sorted more than 16,000 articles of clothing, over 56,000 items were processed, and more than 750 pairs of shoes were donated and organized.
Once the items were sorted through, they bag them up so charities across Central Florida can easily swing by to pick up the bags.
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Freddy Clayton is the president of the Orlando Union Rescue Mission, one of Light Orlando’s partner charities, and said they bring men who live at the mission to volunteer at this event.
“They can give their time,” Clayton said. “So, we tell them that’s an expectation of living at the mission; to volunteer their time to help folks who are really, really underprivileged.”
It’s not just clothing items that are dropped off. Other basic necessities like socks and underwear are also donated to local charities.
“We all think, you know, ‘clothing drive’ is what we call it, but there’s so many other items,” said Communications Council Chairman Paul Waters. “A lot of the organizations, ones that will be coming to pick up items, they have other needs (...) shoes, you know, business attire, that you wouldn’t think of. You know, they need these things for job interviews to help people get back on their feet. Children’s baby products, feminine products, all these socks, socks and underwear are not something that you think of, and those typically we get new.”
For more information on how to volunteer with Light Orlando, click here.