Operation School and Career Wear filled an entire hallway with clothing during Carbon Career & Technical Institute's annual open house Thursday night.

Cindy Stribula, founder of the nonprofit, brought four volunteers with her to set up tables and fold the freshly laundered donated clothing."People are a little leery about throwing things in a bin. Here it goes back into the community," she said. "This community is taking care of this community.""This is such a great idea," said CCTI nurse Rebecca Shafer."I was here last summer and found Dickies for my son for this school year. He outgrew them, so we need new ones," said Lisa Kleppinger.Stribula began with a smaller version early on, focusing mainly on school wear. Stribula said an estimated 75 percent of Nesquehoning children, 50 percent of Jim Thorpe children and 40 percent of Palmerton children qualify for reduced or free school lunches."That's a lot," Stribula said."My husband works at CCTI and said he saw a kid going to job interviews in sweatpants. It got me feeling as if someone had to do something. That was in September of 2014. We have tested the water and found that there is a huge need."The nonprofit has worked with many local organizations to help take care of families in need in the county. The organization recently gathered donations to help the family of the South Avenue house fire."We work with Family Promise and Turn To Us. We have donation boxes located in all of the Jim Thorpe schools, the Panther Valley schools and looking to expand. We want to spread to Lehighton schools, but we need to buy boxes and get permission from the board," she said."You're taught that you need basic necessities; food, shelter and clothing. There are programs for food and shelter, but not clothing," Stribula said. "This way everyone has something to wear to a job interview, to wear to school. Everyone has something."As a mother of five, Stribula understands the importance of being thrifty. "We penny-pinch with the best of them," she said. "So we get it."Stribula spends a few hours a day, with the help of her daughters, combing through donations."Some of the things that are donated just need a button or a seam sewn," then washing, drying and folding the garments before taking them off to the next giveaway."Sometimes we have three carloads," Stribula said.Often Stribula leaves with completely different items from the ones brought to the giveaway."People always bring donations," she said.A polar bear costume had recently been donated to the 501(c) 3, which promptly went to St. Joseph Regional Academy for its upcoming Polar Plunge."That was one of the more unique things we had donated. I washed everything from the hands to the feet."Over 3,355 signed in last year during the organization's giveaways."It was overwhelming, I couldn't believe it."Stribula accepts donations for everything from newborn up to everyday household items. Currently Stribula is filling out the 75-page application for grant funding to purchase a building for the organization. "I do a lot of driving."Donations for the organization can be dropped off at the aforementioned schools, the Chamber of Commerce Office or Creative Cuts, both located in Lehighton. For more information reach Stribula directly at 484-547-7075.