Assemblymember Holds Inaugural Suit Drive

INDIO —Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, D-Coachella, held his inaugural Suit Drive and Giveaway event in partnership with Desert Best Friend’s Closet and Desert Theatreworks. Together, they were able to distribute suits, provide complementary professional attire consultations, as well as showcase other job-seeking resources to 30 local, at-promise students and young men preparing to launch their careers.

“Too often, access to professional attire stands as a barrier blocking our young men from pursuing their educational, and career aspirations,” Garcia said in a news release. “For many growing up in hard-working families, the idea of obtaining a suit is very daunting and not everyone has the means to purchase the professional attire needed to prepare for a job interview. We hope that proving suits and professional attire consultations will help instill confidence and open up a whole new world of opportunities for our youth.”

Garcia currently serves as the Chair for the Assembly Select Committee on the Status of Boys and Men of Color.

“Desert Best Friend’s Closet has been providing professional and interview attire to low and no income residents of Coachella Valley since 2008.  We are honored to participate in Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s suit giveaway.  We will have professional image consultants on location wardrobing participants at the event to ensure proper fit, style, and color,” said Johnny Anderson, Director of Operations, Desert Best Friend’s Closet.

Ron Phillips Martinez, CEO, Desert Theatreworks (DTW) added, “DTW is very pleased to participate in this program. Entering the workforce is challenging enough and being able to have the proper attire is crucial. Supporting our local youth to achieve their dreams and secure a job is how we as a community theatre can give back to those that have done so much for us.”

Gently used and new suits along with other professional accessories were collected with the help of other community collection sites such as Lift to Rise and the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. Donated items will benefit local, at-promise young men in need of professional attire for job interviews.

Assemblymember Garcia is grateful for the expertise and generosity of all the partners who helped make this event possible.

Community members are always welcome to contact Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s Coachella District Office, at (760)347-2360, for help connecting to essential job-seeking services such as this, resources for youth, as well as to express any other concerns.

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Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) serves as the chairperson of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife.  He represents the 56th district, which comprises the cities and communities of Blythe, Brawley, Bermuda Dunes, Calexico, Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, El Centro, Holtville, Imperial, Indio, Mecca, Oasis, North Shore, Salton Sea, Thermal, Thousand Palms, and Westmorland.

Desert Best Friend’s Closet is a nonprofit organization that educates and empowers clients for success in employment and life. Their vision is for all Coachella Valley residents to be economically self-sufficient through employment. The Interview Attire Program is one of their many services. In collaboration with other agencies in the Coachella Valley they are able to provide interview-appropriate attire at no cost to individuals seeking employment who do not have the means to buy such attire themselves.

Desert Theatreworks is a non-profit 501c3 and proud member of the American Association of Community Theatres. As a community theatre they are vested in the education of our participants and the artistic energy that feeds a city, a culture, and a society. Over the past 6 seasons, DTW has produced more than 50 plays and musicals, 8 children’s musicals and more than 20 special events, making us one of Coachella Valley’s leading producers of theatre and educational programming for the performing arts.