FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — As part of a weeklong effort highlighting the services offered by Poverello House, the organization is drawing attention to its Holy Cross Center, where individuals and families can receive free clothing and other necessities.<\/p>\n
The focus comes ahead of the Call for Hope telethon taking place Thursday, which raises support for Poverello House programs serving people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty.<\/p>\n
Amber Temple, who is searching for permanent housing, said she was first introduced to Poverello House through its warming center.<\/p>\n
She said access to clothing can make a significant difference for people struggling to meet basic needs.<\/p>\n
“Some people don’t realize what a struggle it is, what a struggle it is not to have clothes you know what a struggle it is to be without and there’s some people that just take it for granted,” Temple said.<\/p>\n
The Holy Cross Center allows individuals to obtain clothing and hygiene items at no cost.<\/p>\n
“We come and get clothes. We get a pair of pants, a shirt, socks, underwear and some hygiene,” Temple said. “It depends on the weather if its cold or not. You can ask for a sweatshirt too at night.”<\/p>\n
According to Poverello House CEO Zach Darrah, the clothing closet is intended to help meet both practical needs and personal dignity.<\/p>\n
“Dignity certainly has to do with how we feel about how we look, and for people who are experiencing homelessness or extreme poverty in our community, sometimes clothing is just difficult to come by, or laundered clothing, or clothing that matches the weather,” Darrah said.<\/p>\n
The clothing closet holds distribution days twice daily on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for families.<\/p>\n
Individuals in need can order five items at a time.<\/p>\n
“Basically they give an order form and team members come back and take a look at what we have and provide those clothing right to them its a very dignified process. People can get what they want and what they need,” Darrah said.<\/p>\n
The closet is stocked with everyday clothing for men, women and children, as well as diapers and attire suitable for job interviews.<\/p>\n
All items are donated by members of the community.<\/p>\n
“Most all of us have clothes in our closet that we haven’t touched in a long long time, put them in a garbage bag bring them to Poverello House, you can use the donation lane,” Darrah said.<\/p>\n
According to Poverello House, denim is the most requested item, followed by men’s clothing and new socks.<\/p>\n
“A lot of people on the streets walk many many miles every single day and having a fresh clean pair of socks is very important for their health,” Darrah said.<\/p>\n
Action News will continue its coverage of Poverello House programs on Wednesday with a look at its shelter-to-housing pathways program, ahead of Thursday’s Call for Hope telethon coverage beginning during AM Live at 4:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
For news updates, follow Vanessa Vasconcelos on Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2026 KFSN-TV. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n