Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has opened a second-hand clothes store on Friday, offering free, well-maintained used items to in-patients.
With corporate social responsibility (CSR) assistance from Propel Industries Pvt Ltd, the campaign was started by the non-profit organisation Helping Hearts with the goal of assisting those in need and promoting a reuse culture. The CMCH dean, A. Nirmala, officially opened the facility.
Clothing donations are gathered from five specific locations throughout the city and sent to a sorting facility in Krishnagiri, where they are screened, cleaned, ironed, and tailored if needed, according to M. Ganesh, founder of Helping Hearts, the first permanent pre-owned clothing outlet of its kind in the State.
While clothing that is judged suitable is given to patients, clothing that is judged unfit for reuse is sent for recycling. Apart from keeping textile waste out of landfills, this program offers vital resources to people who are struggling financially. Furthermore, we intend to provide free new clothes to 50 babies per month, guaranteeing that the facility will always have between 500 and 700 outfits on hand.
To increase awareness of sustainability and the advantages of donating used clothing, the NGO organises monthly collecting drives at corporate offices, gated communities, and educational institutions in addition to its permanent store. The NGO now has a permanent presence at CMCH after previously running garment distribution camps in rural areas.
Every in-patient is given a single set of clothes by the facility, and they must wait six months to obtain more.
The initiative’s practical significance was emphasised by Dr. Nirmala. It can be challenging for paramedics and other medical personnel to provide adequate care to patients who frequently arrive in emergency situations with bloodstains or other pollutants on their clothing. This facility will deal with this issue, especially for patients who might need to stay for a few days and may not have attendants.
