Empower Yolo is proud to announce the opening of its new Community Clothing Closet at its main office in Woodland. Through the generosity of donors, volunteers, and professionals who donated their time and expertise, the new facility will help meet the growing clothing needs of children, individuals, and families throughout Yolo County.
“The Clothing Closet is one of Empower Yolo’s most important and impactful programs because it meets a basic human need with dignity, compassion, and care,” says Celina Alveraz, Executive Director of Empower Yolo. “Clothing affects every part of a person’s life — from a child attending school with confidence, to a parent preparing for a job interview, to families recovering from crisis or hardship,” says Alveraz.
The program supports children, individuals, and families throughout Yolo County, including survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, low-income households, unhoused individuals, and community members facing unexpected challenges. We serve an average of 25 people and their families a day, and the Clothing Closet provides relief during some of life’s most difficult moments.
Empower Yolo has been providing clothing support to the community for almost ten years, and the program has grown tremendously over time. What began as a smaller effort to meet immediate family needs has expanded into one of the agency’s largest community programs, serving individuals and families across Yolo County year-round.
“The impact of this program has been tremendous. Every item distributed represents comfort, dignity, and practical support for someone who needs it,” Alveraz said. “Families are able to redirect income toward food, housing, or utilities while still ensuring their children have clothes, shoes, and essentials.”
The need continues to grow. In 2025 alone, 1,659 clients accessed the Clothing Closet 6,345 times. “We have seen increasing demand from families managing rising living costs, emergencies, and housing instability. Thanks to incredible community support, we’ve been able to expand our services, increase donations, improve organization, and now create a dedicated Clothing Closet space designed specifically to better serve our community,” emphasizes Alveraz.
The new building was made possible through the support of generous donors and community partners, including the Julia Burke Foundation.
“During the pandemic, the Julia Burke Foundation supported organizations already making a difference and helped them expand their impact,” says Robbie Murphy, Board Member of Empower Yolo and the Julia Burke Foundation. For Empower Yolo, this support began with funding to complete the shelter’s kitchen and later included solar panels, a new fence, and an improved facility entrance. “The foundation’s final investment provided the initial funding for a new Clothing Closet building, helping Empower Yolo better meet the essential needs of children, individuals, and families in our community, says Murphy.
The project took approximately three years from concept to completion, including fundraising and securing permits. Once approvals were in place, construction moved forward under the leadership of Robert “Bob” Pratt of Pratt Construction.
“I’ve been involved with quite a few community projects: The Stroll Through History, Opera House Guild, Sacramento Valley historical railways, and others,” said Pratt. Reflecting on his own experiences, he added, “As a young adult back in the late 1960s, I struggled to support my family and haven’t forgotten the kindness of others and the assistance of community programs that helped us to flourish during some hard times.”
“This was a great opportunity to give back!” said Pratt.
Pratt oversaw the project from start to finish and worked diligently to ensure its success. “For me, one of the most rewarding parts was simply the excitement everyone around has shown us as the project progressed,” says Pratt.
Pratt, his partner Agustin Bonifacio, and their colleagues completed the work at cost and, in some cases, donated their time and expertise to the project.
Because of this generosity, the project finished under budget, and Pratt Construction was able to give a generous donation to Empower Yolo to help support new solar panels for the building.
Empower Yolo’s main office is located in Woodland’s historic district, requiring city approval for the project. The completed standalone building, situated behind the Walnut Street office, includes a designated sorting room, bathroom, a washer and dryer (generously donated by Bob & Shari Pratt), and a large distribution room. “This space strengthens Empower Yolo’s unique ability to provide services and clothing to individuals and families in need,” says Murphy.
For Pratt, the project represents the power of community collaboration. “Projects like these are so rewarding; it shows that we care about the health and welfare of all our neighbors and are willing to take the time and effort to help create the kind of community outreach that ensures that the less fortunate have the means to take the steps forward to fulfilling their dreams,” says Pratt.
Empower Yolo celebrated the grand opening of the new Clothing Closet on June 3 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house reception attended by donors, volunteers, and community members.
Clothing donations, in good condition, may be dropped off at 175 Walnut Street in Woodland from 10 am-3 pm every day. For more information, visit empoweryolo.org.
The project would not have been possible without the extraordinary generosity and dedication of so many individuals and partners, including the Julia Burke Foundation, the Starkweather Family, the City of Woodland, Betty Woo, architect, Luke Ensberg, structural engineer, Bob Pratt of Pratt Construction, Agustin Bonifacio, and Lynnette and Bill Irlmeier. Their support, expertise, and belief in the mission helped bring the vision for this new space to life.
Empower Yolo also honors the memory of Tony Ramirez, our beloved Clothing Closet Manager, whose dedication touched so many lives and helped shape the program into what it is today.
The new Clothing Closet stands as a powerful reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to care for one another — and the lasting impact that generosity can have on the lives of those who need it most.