Female Clothing Closet
Naperville-based Suits for Success donated articles of clothing once again to the DuPage County Correctional Facility.
Back in August, the nonprofit brought in more than 400 pieces for men. They’ve now expanded the program to create a female closet at the facility.
“I mean it’s really important that we help these inmates get back on their feet, become a contributing member of our society,” said Tim Ford, a Suits for Success board member.
A variety of business, business casual, and casual clothes were donated for inmates to have proper seasonal clothing upon release and for court appearances.
“That appearance of someone in an orange jumpsuit is always negative, that’s a negative appearance. So a lot of times that can create predispositions on people and what people think of them just as they go through these processes,” said DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick. “So going in a normal set of clothes or a suit, it commands more respect.”
Transition to Community Life
The new female clothing closet will also help female inmates through the rehabilitation process as they transition to community life and go in for job interviews.
“Someone taking three suits, three sets of clothes home having the ability to look good, look sharp,” said Mendrick. “No one’s going to think ‘inmate’ when they see them.”
Suits for Success has donated a total of 60,000 articles of clothing to prisons and jails in Illinois and Wisconsin.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
