Clothes that Build Confidence,
Futures that Shine

Sending children of low-income families in Arlington to school dressed for success

children wearing fashionable donated clothing

Clothes that Build Confidence,
Futures that Shine

Sending children of low-income families in Arlington to school dressed for success

Our Mission

To provide free clothing for school-aged children from low-income families in a dignified setting—through community donations, partner support, and purchased essentials—so they can feel comfortable and confident to learn, grow, and participate fully in school and community life.

Our Impact

in Arlington, Virginia since 2018

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298,000
items of clothing distributed

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10,900
pairs of shoes donated

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3,700
children served

items of clothing distributed
pairs of shoes donated
children served

Client Testimonials

Threads of Gratitude

Words can’t describe how happy I felt

“I am currently a sophomore in high school. I wanted to thank you for helping provide me with clothing. You don’t understand how much this means to me and my family. Words can’t describe how happy I felt with all the clothes I got to pick out. You don’t know how much you can change a life by just giving someone clothes. My mom is a single parent and all her money goes to my sick grandma, so your help is such a blessing. Keep doing what you do and know that your actions are appreciated by every family you help.”

Thank you and your team for helping me bring joy to my son

“I sincerely thank you and your team for helping bring joy to my son. My son loved every piece of clothing that we picked out and he’s happy. I’m excited to get back on my feet financially so that I can be a donor. Thank you for your kindness.”

He feels equal to his peers

“Thank you for this great service and organization. I know the impact you are making on my son is greater and longer lasting than I can imagine. He is growing in his nice and comfortable clothes. He feels equal to his peers. And I noticed that his confidence has grown tremendously at his soccer practice, at school, and extended day as well.”

I was worried about spending money on clothes

“I am thrilled that you gave me lots of clothes for my children. I needed to go shopping for pants for them, but I was worried how expensive they would be. Now because of the pandemic we need our money for rent and food. Some of the clothes you gave us would be expensive if I bought them from a store. Thank you.”

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Thank You To Our Sponsors

News

What's Hangin' on the Clothesline

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Thank You for an Incredible Winter Fundraiser

Thanks to this generous community, our winter fundraiser—Warmth. Dignity. Opportunity.—raised more than $100,000 to support Arlington children and families. This total includes a $20,000 matching gift from our founders and the Bergstrom Foundation, which inspired so many of you to give with extra heart and urgency. Every contribution, large and small, will help ensure students…

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Looking to Hire a New Executive Director

We are excited to announce that we are kicking off the search for a full-time Executive Director for The Clothesline.  Over the past 7 years, we have grown from serving 300 kids in our first year to serving nearly 1,600 in 2025.  Thanks to your support of time, clothing donations and funding, The Clothesline has…

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Warmth. Dignity. Opportunity.

This winter, thousands of Arlington children will face more than chilly temperatures—they may not have the clothing they need to stay warm. As we look toward the colder months ahead, we invite our community to help provide children in need with: Your donation today helps ensure Arlington children are cared for and supported during the…

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