Pauline Abeyta

Pauline Abeyta offers clothes to the homeless along with a healthy dose of compassion through the organization The Clothing Room. As a dedicated volunteer at The Clothing Room, Pauline has proved that community outreach is invalid without compassion and dedication.

Every week, Pauline assists needy families and the homeless in finding clothes to wear. Whether it’s for an interview or just something to wear for the day, Pauline understands the importance providing clothes and emotional support to the needy. Along with hanging and sorting clothes, Pauline helped create the foundation for The Clothing Room. What once began as a building with a dirt floor as turned into a department store where patrons can shop for free, which is important for the community of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

One of the poorest communities in the United States, Las Cruces’ poverty rates are above the national average. Therefore, it is very hard for single moms, unemployed families, and families earning only minimum wage to make clothes a main priority. Through the past 20 years, Pauline has helped solve the problem of poverty by making The Clothing Room a reality. Last year The Clothing Room helped over 4,500 people giving away 111,800 items.

After the founder passed away 3 years ago, Pauline made sure her dream stayed alive. Pauline is making sure no one has to live without clothes and a since of belonging. As one customer commented, “I walked out knowing someone cares.”