A Hand Up Clothing room officially reopened yesterday after having to shut its doors for months due to COVID-19.
The clothing room is open twice a week for families to come shop, getting two free bags of clothing per family member for a month.
With reopening, they have implemented a list of new policies and procedures to keep visitors safe including having only one shopper inside at a time for a maximum of 10 minutes and hand sanitizer at the door. As of July 13, all shoppers will be required to wear a mask.
They are operating under new hours, to match with those of the Helping Hand Food Bank: Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. and Fridays from 6-8 p.m. Donations will also be accepted during that time.
The weekly lunch program for those in need at the Bradford Community Centre has now been moved to the clothing room as well.
Yesterday’s first day back saw a few customers, who Patti LaRose Director of Operations for CrossTrainers says was a “good start” to the reopening. She said everyone was respectful and patient while following the new rules and guidelines.
“It was great to reconnect with our friends and have some socially distant conversations outside!” she said. “Our volunteers are amazing, willing to still help even with the uncertainty around Covid.”
A Hand Up Clothing Room is located at 31 Frederick St. For more information on A Hand Up Clothing Room, check out the CrossTrainers website here.
