AWARD WINNERS

Families team up to 'outfit' homeless kids

BY PAT PASTERNAK
STAFF WRITER

Two local families are about to be honored by Catholic Charities Housing Services (CCHS) of the Albany Diocese for their work to clothe the homeless.

At a Nov. 5 gala, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard will present awards to Elena Smith of Loudonville and her six children, and Susan Holodak of Menands and her four children. Last year, the two women started The Kids' Clothing Shop, a room stocked with gently-used clothing. Their own children aid in their efforts.

The shop is located in a single-room-occupancy building in Albany, one of several buildings used by the housing office to shelter the homeless. The store is for homeless children whose families have been given temporary housing in any of CCHS' 21 apartments in Albany.

Pick your own

The kids choose their own clothing from the stock of donated clothes of all sizes.

"It's all about the children," commented Mrs. Smith, whose own children range in age from five to 15.

According to Brenda McAteer, assistant director for operations at CCHS, the volunteer efforts of the two families have resulted in several "apartment makeovers" as well as the clothing shop.

"The things they are able to accomplish have been a blessing for our tenants," she told The Evangelist.

Mrs. Holodak and Mrs. Smith first began their service to CCHS several years ago by sponsoring a family for Christmas. Last year, the two women approached the assistant director concerned about one of the children from a CCHS family being sent home from school because of inadequate winter clothing.

Not enough

"The child was wearing lightweight clothes and had no winter coat. We realized that the needs of a family are ongoing throughout the entire year, not just during the holidays. We wanted to do more for these families," explained Mrs. Smith.

The two women began to collect clothing from friends with whom they had swapped clothing over the years as their own kids outgrew things. "We were soon overwhelmed with donations," noted Mrs. Holodak. "We received so much that we had to find a place to store it all."

The two approached Ms. McAteer, looking for a place to store the goods. She found the empty storeroom that would become the shop. The room is small, but Mrs. Smith said that California Closets, a local shelving manufacturer, donated and installed shelving to help maximize the space.

Kids, too

The ten children in the Holodak and Smith families wanted to become involved in the operation of the shop. The Smith children -- Nicholas, 15; Dillon, 14; Kendall, 11; Morgan, 10; and twins Terence and Christian, five -- joined forces with the Holodak kids. They are Michael, 15; Danny, 14; Emily, 11; and Grace, five.

"The kids come and sort the clothing. They often make the decisions as to what they would or would not wear," said Mrs. Holodak. "We're picky about the clothes. The rule of thumb is, if our own kids won't wear an item, we don't use it. We see no reason why a child must accept an item of clothing simply because it has been donated. We want them to have a choice in what they wear, and we want them to pick out their own clothes."

Happy faces

The kids from the homeless families come to The Kids' Shop accompanied by a parent and staff member. Each child is given time to choose clothes.

"Sometimes, the look on their faces says it all. When they find something they really like, you can tell they're happy," noted Mrs. Holodak.

Her son, Michael, started his own business called "Mike Made This," designing t-shirts and selling them at craft fairs. He donates ten percent of his profits toward the purchase of school supplies for children whose families are clients of CCHS. This year's donations will fund a Christmas party for the families.

The Holodak and Smith families are still hard at work on The Kids' Clothing Shop. "Right now, we're looking for donations of new underwear and socks and seasonal clothing," said Mrs. Smith.

The Holodak and Smith families have also raised enough money to repaint and furnish two apartments managed by CCHS. One is home to a single mom with six children. "Our new goal is to completely refurbish at least one apartment a year," said Mrs. Holodak.

For information on The Kids' Clothing Shop, call Brenda McAteer at 459-0183. To see the t-shirts designed by Mike Holodak, go to www.mikemadethis.com.

(11/01/07)