From Arman, the leader/coordinator of the homeless ministry for a church in Laguna Niguel, Orange County: For the past 3-1/2 years, our ministry has been delivering food, clothing, blankets, and essential supplies to the Homeless in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and mostly Santa Ana. We usually feed and clothe up to more than 150 homeless, especially in Santa Ana, where we visit once a month. Mitchell, from Clothing the Homeless, has provided our clothing supplies for the last 3-1/2 years. We have been blessed to receive so much clothing, which is desperately needed by the people who live on the streets of these cities. A church member who runs our women’s ministry told me a story a few days ago that truly touched her heart. We had a women’s retreat a few weeks ago, and during that retreat, members of other churches joined our church to be blessed by the retreat in the mountains. During that time, a member of another church met my friend from our church. When she mentioned the name of our church, she started tearing up, and with a shaky voice, she started telling the story that her son had been homeless for the last few years. He has primarily been in Santa Ana for the last five or six months. According to his mom, who has been in touch via occasional text and phone calls, he has lost tremendous weight during the past few years and is now down to 120 pounds. When he spoke to his mom a few weeks ago, he mentioned that a homeless ministry comes to Santa Ana from Laguna Niguel, bringing clothing, supplies, and plenty of food. He told his mom that he was so thankful for all the clothing and supplies that he received. Also, he has gained some weight due to the freshly made warm food and sandwiches served there. My friend told me his mom was so emotional and tearful about all the services his son received from our ministry. I can imagine how helpless and desperate you would feel if you knew that your child was hungry and cold out there. I want to take this opportunity to thank Clothing the Homeless for their generous donations, which have enabled us to run this ministry despite all the ups and downs that a ministry like this would experience. I am sure this is one example among so many other ones. May God bless Clothing the Homeless. May he provide and protect you so you can continue helping all those living on the streets without hope or help. Thank you from the depths of our hearts, and may God bless you abundantly.

The Covid pandemic and restrictions impacted all of us, but CTH continued to serve the homeless community in new and creative ways.

We've were fortunate to have our generous sponsors and other big-hearted individuals continue to donate backpacks, clothing and other items. Since many of our past distribution sites were closed, we had to think of new ways to distribute clothing and other necessities to the increasing number of people living on the streets. Our Director Mitch and a few other dedicated volunteers conducted impromptu "Ninja Runs". They loaded the van with necessities: backpacks, blankets, sweaters, jackets, etc. and drove to areas in Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Stanton, and Riverside to distribute these items directly to people living on the streets. We've continued these impromptu runs as they are another important way we can help those in need.

From Maria, Iris' mother: "Iris and I have volunteered together at many charitable organizations in and around Orange County. But crossing paths with Mitch and CTH gave community service and volunteering a whole different meaning for us. Mitch is very accommodating and flexible. More importantly, interacting with him and seeing him in action at the CTH Irvine storage and at distribution events encouraged us to continue to support him and what he does for the homeless. Iris is now in high school and old enough to understand the community that struggles with homelessness. I am hoping that both my kids will grow up to be grateful and appreciative of life and all the blessings that they have. I've also been telling them that one does not need to be rich to be able to help others, and it's better to be the one giving than the one receiving."

The CTH Director, Mitchell Raff, went to Rooten's Travel and Adventure store to purchase a suitcase. (Rooten's is located across from John Wayne Airport.) Steve, the owner, was helping him with his purchase, when he inadvertently brought up the homeless situation in his area of business. After a few minutes of listening to Steve’s empathy for them, Mitchell excused himself and returned from his car to hand him a flyer for CTH. CTH is now receiving used suitcases that customers bring in for trade-ins. Suitcases are one of the most treasured and difficult items to acquire for the homeless. Thanks to Steve’s ongoing support, CTH can now provide many more suitcases to the people we serve.

Mitchell Raff is the director of Clothing the Homeless. He has been volunteering his time since 2016. He has the most giving heart and truly desires to treat everyone with dignity and respect. We believe this is why our partnership works so well. Mitchell and his team of volunteers come out every forth Saturday to do a giant clothing distribution. We have so much fun when they are on site and it is always a joy to witness the way he serves our patrons.

From Heather: "I hope that the donations will have a positive impact on the people that your organization serves, and we appreciate your commitment to the community and this cause. I will make sure to let the community service coordinators of future years know about your organization so that our school can hopefully organize yearly drives to support these people, even after I have graduated and no longer hold the position I currently do within my school’s National Honor Society."

Here is a letter John wrote to Mitch:

It took every penny I had for 1st and last month's deposits. Then, just as I thought I was done, I realized all I have is a sleeping bag, a pair of jeans, 3 t-shirts, 4 pairs of socks, a jacket, a toothbrush, but an empty bedroom and bathroom. Then came some bed sheets, pillows, towels, and a few other needed things. And then I'm down to a few bucks but I had to look for a cheap dresser on Craigslist. "Wait a minute, what the heck am I going to use it for? I have no clothes to put in it."

I thank you Mitch, and Clothing the Homeless, sincerely. You helped to keep me afloat and hygiene to be clean. You gave me a sleeping bag, a jacket to stay warm on cold nights, shoes and clothes to wear, a flashlight to see at night, and a backpack.

By having those gifts and blessings, I am able to look and feel good and sleep well. By not having distractions or worries, I am able to fight the bigger ones. (You would never know I was homeless unless I told you). I like to look my best, if and when possible, and I do. I am able to blend in and function in society and not be stereotyped as just another homeless. I can go anywhere and any place and not be watched or told to leave or move along. And the cops don't mess with me either.

Most IMPORTANTLY, I actually can save money and save my things. I have everything to carry me through and keep me afloat. (Not buy things again and again.) And Mitch, we know that I have had many privileged visits to your facility, getting and replacing the same things time and time again. I stopped counting after the 5th trip. You and Clothing the Homeless have been one of the great gifts in my life. And I got a chance to meet you, someone I could respect and trust. A man with compassion, unselfishness, kindness, humbleness, and not afraid to look you in the eye when and if he decides to shake your hand. I am truly appreciative, grateful and thankful. I will not forget all you and Clothing the Homeless have done for me.

And this is why I'm asking you to read all this text. So you would know how I really feel before I ask…”Hey Mitch, when you have some time, I really could use something that I can put in a dresser and hang in my closet.” That means a lot to me and the person I have become.

Here is the letter from their Community Service Coordinator:

My name is Tim Culbertson, and I have taught math and science for more than 20 years. One of my roles at Discovery Prep School is as Community Service Coordinator, I plan a wide range of engaging volunteer experiences for our students. Such as trail crew with Laguna Coast Wilderness and Orange County Regional Parks, outreach with homeless shelters and food kitchens in Anaheim, and, perhaps most notably, working with Clothing the Homeless and Mitchell Raff. I called Mitchell in 2018 after reading about Clothing the Homeless online, and shortly thereafter brought a group of Middle and High School students to help Mitchell with service. That first experience in 2018 has led to nearly four years of consistent monthly volunteerism with Clothing the Homeless.

Working with Clothing the Homeless provides my students the opportunity to work directly with unhoused patrons, helping them select clothing items based on their need. This direct, one-on-one contact, with each patron, creates a deeply humanizing bond between the student helper and the person who they are helping choose clothes. The kids and patrons discuss clothing options, preferences, and their lives; students are left with a novel and remarkable connection to a person with whom they would not have otherwise engaged. It is difficult, particularly in the pandemic climate, to have these sorts of experiences. In no other instance in service, in more than 20 years of planning volunteer opportunities, have I had the chance to see such direct and meaningful communication. Clothing the Homeless helps to teach my students to see the world around them and the other people in it; the experience humbles them and makes them think about the meaning of community. At Discovery Prep, we focus on educating towards Core Values, one of which is compassion. I cannot imagine an opportunity which can teach more compassion than this direct engagement with the unhoused.

So often at the end of this experience, on the drive home, students are quiet and introspective. The experience moves them. Eventually, they are able to converse and reflect about the experience; what is most impressive to me is that invariably they want to go back to it, to do more to help, and to seek out this connection to the most disenfranchised in their community. To me, that’s the purpose of community service. I am so glad we found Clothing the Homeless, and that we can continue to help serve and help make these connections.

Please see the note below from one of the Brownie Troop leaders:

“Hello!

I am writing because I am a co-leader for my daughter's Brownie Troop. We are partnering with another Brownie Troop at our school to participate in a "One Warm Coat" drive to gather coats for families and individuals in need for the winter season. Please let me know if following our drive, we could donate the coats we collect of all sizes to your organization. Our Brownies will also be putting happy "pocket notes" inside the coats to comfort those who receive them. It is a part of teaching our girls about giving to the community and those in need, and we would like to ensure the coats go to good homes following our efforts. Please let me know if you would like to receive the coats for your organization. I anticipate having a lot of children's coats to donate.”

Concordia University nursing school students have been working with Clothing the Homeless (CTH) and MHA Multi-Service Center (MHA) for some time offering services such as health screening for MHA clients as part of their school training and even volunteering their time to help with CTH clothing distributions. They have been a tremendous help-having brought tremendous caring and compassion to their efforts-to both programs and those in need.

Over the summer, one of Concordia’s 2021 nursing school graduates, Becca, reached out to the Clothing the Homeless director, Mitchell Raff. She shared with him that many of the student nurses were so moved and touched by the amazing service and care provided to the needy during the clothing distributions that they felt compelled to offer CTH some sort of support or gift to help in this important work.

A few weeks later Becca reached out yet again to arrange a time to meet. To his surprise, she arrived bearing gifts of not just one but two large folding tables so much in need at the distributions. He warmly thanked her and the other nursing students for their kindness and generosity, and asked her to provide a picture of the graduation class so it could be posted and this wonderful and heartwarming gesture that they so generously showed to CTH and those in need could be shared.

A BIG THANK YOU to the nursing class of Concordia University cohort #25 of 2021. They are truly wonderful, caring and special, and have demonstrated that in many ways. CTH wishes them the very best of luck in their new careers and pursuits.

Here is Kero’s story in his own words:

“This started with sitting in church (Rock Harbor Costa Mesa) listening to a message about avoiding being dull, and being a light. The message encouraged us to utilize our gifts and talents to further the kingdom of God. It was then followed by a tailgate dinner at Raising Canes around 8:45pm with my friends. While eating I became very cold and couldn’t imagine how cold someone living on the street would be on nights like that. From there I had the idea to collect sleeping bags. My friends encouraged me so I decided to move forward. I gave myself a timeline: 2 weeks to raise $1000. (God laughed at me). Within 24 hours of sharing, I had a reached the $1000 mark and was getting flooded with more donations. With the support of friends, family and others on social media, we collected enough money to purchase 124 sleeping bags and over 85 pairs of wool socks for those in need. It was so flippin beautiful to see people come together and become a force for good. It was a glimpse of Heaven on Earth.”