On any given night, almost 700,000 people experience homelessness in the U.S. Of that number, an estimated 37 percent are people in families -- families who often depend on an unemployed breadwinner and only need simple, short-term help with housing and job placement to return to stability and independence.
To expedite that process, business attire retailer Men's Wearhouse has launched their third annual National Suit Drive for the homeless and unemployed. Taking into account the role that appearance plays in interviews, Men's Wearhouse designed their suit drive specifically to help men hit by the recession make a good impression on potential employers.
The campaign has attracted attention by using scantily-clad men to advertise. Young men in their underwear can be seen on street corners and in other public places holding signs that say "Give The Suit Off Your Back."
Men with a surplus of dress or professional wear can donate their gently-used items to the nearest Men's Wearhouse store until the end of September, at which point they will be handed over to 200 different charities that help the unemployed find jobs. The drive will accept anything from sport coats and dress slacks to vests and ties, but the retailer has also pledged to add a new dress shirt to the pile for every whole suit collected.
By helping men "suit up" for interviews, Men's Wearhouse believes they can lessen the blow of what has become known as "the mancession."