Second, GFTH solicits funds (within Washington, D.C. only), which it uses to purchase new items of warm clothing, including long underwear, hats, blankets, gloves, underwear, and socks. The funds GFTH recieves from donors are used to purchase new clothing for area shelters and soup kitchens. All donations are tax-deductible.
GFTH donates used clothing to over 70 shelters or other organizations serving the needy in the D.C. area each year, and approximately 30 organizations receive new clothing donations. Donations are made to transitional shelters, shelters sponsored by local churches, a home for men with AIDS, shelters for battered women and children - and with 1600 beds - the largest shelter for men, women, and children in Washington, D.C. GFTH has no "favorite" shelter or chosen clientele. Rather, all of DC's homeless are potentially beneficiaries of the gifts that, with your assistance, GFTH can provide. In 2002, for the first time, we reached several shelters in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs of Washington, and we have expanded our reach even further in each year since then.
GFTH is governed by a 20 plus member board of directors and a number of officers. In addition, each participating law firm or legal organization designates a person to act as a volunteer coordinator. These individuals coordinate the collection of used clothing and monetary donations and help recruit volunteers for the clothing drive.
Since GFTH has no paid staff and no overhead, every single dollar that GFTH receives is used to purchase new clothes for the various shelters. All of the group's expenses, including postage, supplies for the used clothing drive, food and refreshments, and even the cost of maintaining this web site, are paid for by area law firms or members of the board of directors or are donated by vendors. In this way, GFTH maximizes the value of all donations made.
