ATLANTA-The St. Vincent de Paul Society seeks volunteers to help process 66 pallets of spring and summer clothes so that they can be distributed to families and children in need as part of Sears' Clothes Line project.

Individual and group volunteers are greatly needed to sort and pack the several newly arrived shipments of children's clothes sitting in the SVDP Council Office warehouse in Atlanta. Only then can the clothes be distributed to collaborating agencies that will give them away to those in need at no charge. Through an organization called Kids in Distressed Situations, Sears has donated over $2 million in new children's clothes since The Clothes Line was initiated early last year.

"For about three to four months we did not receive any distributions of children's clothes and then we received about 75 pallets ... So we are very eager to be able to serve the over 100 agencies who know now of our service to provide clothes (for) the literally thousands of children that they serve," said executive director Sheila Bissonnette. "I'd love to have all these clothes out of the pallets and into boxes and into agencies so that kids can enjoy them over the next few months."

Last year, with the help of over 1,000 volunteers, SVDP gave 87,305 pounds of clothing and products to approximately 38,000 needy children in five Southern states as well as Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia, Haiti and the West Indies. SVDP also distributed items to people in inner-city schools, neighborhood projects and other places through its Mobile Thrift Store.

"It's been tremendous. We've (sent clothes to) five states and over 100 agencies and also it has attracted other donations" from corporations, said Bissonnette. "We're getting clothes out to children in a big way."

Bissonnette said volunteering in this project is a great way for financial contributors to get a first-hand look at what they support. She added it's a great group service project as one clothes-sorting RENEW group member recently commented, "This is a great project. We can socialize. We can get something done. We can help people."

Helpers should wear comfortable clothing. Scissors and markers as well as snacks will be provided for them. Volunteer hours are Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Thursdays, 9 a.m.- 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. The SVDP Council Office is located at 2050 Chamblee-Tucker Road, Suite C, Atlanta. Group volunteers are requested to schedule a volunteer time by calling Betsy Maher at (770) 986-7456.