Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park is hosting it’s second annual clothing drive Saturday, May 11th from 10am to 1pm. Visitors bringing an item of clothing for donation will save 50% on their ground fees.

We heard there was a need for various items at local shelters and, with the community spirit that is Bare Oaks, we decided to rise to the call. Items collected on Saturday will go to one of three places: Yellow Brick House, Blue Door Shelter, or to the Goodwill.

The Yellow Brick House and Blue Door Shelter are looking for new clothing, shoes, steel toe work boots, blankets, and towels. They are also seeking certain items to maintain operations such as liquid soap, diapers, and kids lunch snacks.

Yellow Brick House provides four core services for all:  emergency shelter, transitional housing, outreach services and public education. The two emergency shelters offer safes place for women and children fleeing their abusive relationships. Reta’s Place, their transitional housing facility, provides housing units to women and children transitioning from the emergency shelter to living independently.

Blue Door Shelters, located in York Region, provides safe, supportive shelter and services for people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They operate three, no-fee, emergency shelters for families, men and youth.

Each shelter provides: help to find permanent housing, accommodation and food, supportive counselling, referral to community services, life skills learning opportunities, and 24/7 accessibility.

The rest of the clean reusable items dropped-off at Bare Oaks will go to Goodwill. They use their revenue to fund their core mission: creating work opportunities for people facing barriers to employment, including persons with disabilities, youth at risk, the chronically unemployed, aboriginal people and newcomers to Canada.

The members of Bare Oaks are cleaning out their closets and will be donating what clothing they do have (we do have to come out for groceries every now and again!) to these community based organizations. Care to unclutter your closets and help the community at the same time? Then drop by Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park on Saturday, May 11th between 10am and 1pm. There will be volunteers ready to collect your donations at our designated tables on the front lawn.