Marianne Kreisher Fogelsanger, a Bloomsburg native, attorney at Kreisher & Gregorowicz, and President of the Bloomsburg Chapter of Kiwanis International, worked along with Kiwanis volunteers to help Fashion Delivers provide an outlet for their donations to the Bloomsburg area.
Mrs. Fogelsanger first learned of the Fashion Delivers program through friends in the Bloomsburg Natives Flood Relief Group on Facebook. At the time, Fashion Delivers had no local contacts who were able to accept their offered donations.
“After the flood and the devastation suffered by so many of our friends and neighbors, we were looking for a way to help,” said Mrs. Fogelsanger. “In the early days after the flood, AGAPE was unable to accept clothing, and there really needed to be one centralized place for clothing.”
Without a local contact, Fashion Delivers intended to make donations through a charity in Philadelphia, which would then redistribute the items to Bloomsburg. Through the efforts of The Bloomsburg Kiwanis, however, Fashion Delivers was able to assist Bloomsburg directly.
“Fashion Delivers had over 50 boxes of new clothing items to deliver and we wanted to find a place that could serve as a centralized distribution point,” stated Mrs. Fogelsanger. “The donation consist[ed] of women’s dress and casual clothing along with limited men’s clothing. We also had donations from Milco Industries of undergarments, and from K-Mart of socks and children’s pajamas.”
Having accepted these donations, The Bloomsburg Kiwanis then needed a place where local residents could benefit from this generosity.
“We called Dr. Gary Finnegan and he graciously donated the space of the old Blockbuster storefront so that we would have a point for distribution. I coordinated with AGAPE and they made arrangements to have volunteers at the storefront to accept the donations, organize, sort and distribute. Any flood victim is welcome to visit the Blockbuster store and pick up some new clothing.”
Mrs. Fogelsanger stated that people who accept these donations, do need to provide their FEMA number.
The Fashions Delivers donations also were able to help local high school students just before Homecoming. “Some of the dresses that were donated by Fashion Delivers were given to the Bloomsburg High School who had a homecoming and prom dress giveaway,” said Mrs. Fogelsanger. “Flood victims from our area and as far away as Selinsgrove took advantage of this generosity. The students and their families were so appreciative. It gave the kids a sense of normalcy, at a time when they really needed it.”
The donations haven’t ceased. Mrs. Fogelsanger reported that an additional 50 boxes of name-brand clothing were delivered last week. What they lack now, however, are volunteers to help staff the distribution center.
At the moment Fashion Delivers donations are still being distributed at the old Blockbuster location, from 9 AM to 2 PM Monday through Friday, and 10 AM to 12 Noon on Saturdays.
Regarding these donations and the efforts of the Bloomsburg Kiwanis, Mrs. Fogelsanger said, “It has been wonderful that the Bloomsburg Kiwanis has been able to help our friends and neighbors that have suffered such great loss from the flooding. Hopefully, having some new clothing will be a start in helping them get their lives back to a sense of normalcy. We are so thankful that we were able to help.”
If you would like to help Kiwanis distribute these donations, please contact Marianne Fogelsaner by email at mkf@columbiacountylaw.com or her office phone, 570-784-5211. You may also contact AGAPE at 570-317-2210
