Promise Fulfilled: Bank of America and Partners Boost RCC’s Career Closet

Riverside City College (RCC) successfully concluded the “Professional Attire Drive,” a collaborative effort with Bank of America to support students through the Career Closet initiative. The drive, which ran from April 1 to May 15, culminated in an impressive collection of professional clothing donations, significantly enhancing the resources available to RCC students.

The success of this initiative is largely attributed to the efforts of Claudette Anderson, Senior Vice President and Program Manager of Community Banking and Lending at Bank of America, and her husband, Andy Anderson, a Financial Advisor for Edward Jones.  Andy Anderson, played a crucial role by reaching out to his financial business partners, resulting in substantial donations that complemented those collected by Bank of America.

Meriel Anderson-McDade, RCC’s Employment Placement Coordinator, shared her excitement and gratitude: “We picked up the Bank of America donations, and it’s a lot of great stuff! Claudette and her husband Andy have been incredible. Mr. Anderson’s efforts brought in even more donations than Bank of America itself, which is amazing.”

Picking up the final collection was a community effort. Meriel’s husband, Fred McDade, assisted in transporting the donations to the Career Closet. “Words just cannot express how thankful I am to our community and business partners. They are truly there for our students and want to help in any way possible,” said Meriel.

The initial announcement of the partnership highlighted Bank of America’s commitment to supporting educational opportunities and empowering local communities. This drive not only filled the Career Closet with much-needed professional attire but also strengthened the bonds between RCC and its community partners.

The newly donated items will provide an invaluable resource for students looking to benefit from the Career Closet, helping them present themselves confidently in professional settings.