Baltimore Organization That Provides Free Suits To Men Competing For Grant
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore non-profit that gives men in need recycled designer suits is up for a cash award from State Farm.
A simple idea is changing lives in Baltimore. A high-end tailor, Christopher Schafer, has started an organization to help men prepare for a better life. Though Sharp Dressed Man started small in 2011, he's on target to give away 2,000 suits this year.
Such generosity has lead to national recognition and now he's asking for the public's help.
WJZ first visited him three years ago when Sharp Dressed Man was in a small storefront on Park Avenue.
Volunteers at the time told us, "We're super excited about the mission of Sharp Dressed Man. When someone feels good about themselves, chances are they're going to spread that goodwill."
A few months later, an electrical fire drove them from that location into an old department store nearby on Lexington Avenue. More space meant more men got suits, but more space meant that SDM quickly ran up a 20,000 utility bill. Good Samaritans came to the rescue and paid the bill.
But when the roof began leaking, Schafer again moved Sharp Dressed Man, this time to the largely deserted Old Towne Mall.
"We need a lot of space and cheap rent. Old Towne gives us both and it's convenient to our clients," Schafer said.
One of his clients from his custom tailor business, Valentina Massa who volunteers at Sharp Dressed Man, is an insurance agent for State Farm. When he heard that the company was rewarding worthwhile non-profits with a chance to get a 25,000 grant, he nominated Sharp Dressed Man.
There were 2,000 nominations in all and have since been culled down to 200.
Starting Wednesday, people will be able to go to StateFarm's website to vote on which non-profit they would like to see get the money. There will be 40 winners.
On Tuesday, WJZ Facetimed the founder who's on a trip to the shore
"Sharp Dressed Man is in the running for a $25,000 grant from State Farm, which is much needed for our organization right now," Christopher Schafer with Sharp Dressed Man said.
[Reporter: You are literally asking the people watching this to do something.]
"Absolutely. We need your votes. You get ten votes per day per email," Schafer said.
[Reporter: Why are you worthy of that money?]
"In the end when he's (a client) looking at himself in a mirror all suited up…and I've seen many a grown man in tears just looking at himself in a whole new way and it's really powerful," Schafer said.
Click here to vote for Sharp Dressed Man.
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