THE PROGRAM
We have one focus, to provide clothing assistance and referral services for formerly incarcerated men to gain employment, successfully reintegrate into their communities, and reunite with their families, while demonstrating God’s love and the care and concern of the community for each of the men during this time of transition.
The application process is simple. Through collaborations with prison chaplains, parole officials, prison ministries, other aftercare non-profit organizations, and area transition homes, men released from prison in need of clothing are identified within Dallas, Rockwall, Collin, Kaufman, Henderson, Van Zandt, and parts of Denton and Tarrant Counties. The client can fill out an application while he is in prison and/or call the toll-free number when he is released. Each application is screened to determine the client’s eligibility for services under One Man’s Treasure’s guidelines as to the type of unit where he was incarcerated, county he will be residing in, and whether he has been helped before. When the call is received at the clothes closet, a full set of clothes is collected based on sizing and color choices. All clothing is washable, because indigent men do not have funds available to dry clean clothing. The clothing is then delivered to the client’s home or transitional home by a male volunteer (called a “shepherd"), along with One Man's Treasure's Resource Guide.
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The strength of the program comes from a personal visit by a male volunteer, who takes time to visit with the client and his family, if he has any, encouraging him, and guiding him to other resources. In this one act of agape, the ministry seeks to provide each client with the spiritual support he needs during this critical transition period along with meeting his physical need of clothing.
Standard set of clothing delivered
The typical set of clothing delivered includes:
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Up to 4 shirts
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2 pairs of pants
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Shoes or work boots
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3 pairs of new socks
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3 pairs of new underwear
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T-shirt & Tie
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A message of hope
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Seasonal Needs are provided as supply as available​
- Summer months:
- t-shirt​
- shorts
- Winter months:
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a coat
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new hat and gloves
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- Summer months:
If the client’s future employment has special clothing requirements, such as work boots or black pants and shoes needed for restaurant employment, every effort is made to accommodate that need.
Most of the clothing delivered to the client comes from gently used clothing donations made by individuals and through clothing drives hosted by area churches and businesses. However, all underwear, socks, winter hats and gloves are purchased new in addition to other items of clothing needed but not obtained in donations, especially in larger sizes. Each fall, One Man’s Treasure, partnering with area churches, holds coat drives to collect winter coats for its clients.
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