Seaholm High School Student Tessa Shane started the non-profit The Donation Closet, which has collected over 9,000 pieces of new and gently used clothing for men, women and children.
By: Mary Genson | Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle | Published January 14, 2026
BIRMINGHAM — The summer before her junior year of high school, Seaholm High School student Tessa Shane had stopped doing sports and was looking for something she could do to get involved with the community, outside of school.
In her search, Shane found Hoodies for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization in New Jersey that collects hoodies for local shelters. She ended up starting a local chapter of Hoodies for the Homeless, and in October of 2024, she started her first donation drive.
Shane’s efforts in collecting donations were proving to be successful, inspiring her to expand. She decided to start her own nonprofit, The Donation Closet, in the summer of 2025.
“I recognized pretty quickly that I needed to come up with a way to organize and display all the donations I was getting, because so many were being dropped off to my house,” Shane said. “So, I cleaned out my basement and set up racks and shelving I found on Facebook, and then I built a store in my own basement where I keep all my inventory of all the donations that are being dropped off.”
Since Oct. 2024, she has collected over 9,000 pieces of new and gently used clothing for men, women and children; managed 18 large-scale donation collections for other organizations; and helped 17 families in Michigan and Los Angeles.
One of the organizations Shane worked with is Orchards Children’s Services.
“It has been amazing working with Tessa,” Victoria Orleans, the group’s donor relations/volunteer coordinator, said via email. “Our clients have been so blessed by the generosity of others, and it has truly made a difference.”
In addition to finding a passion for philanthropy and having the opportunity to help local families in need, Shane said she has experienced personal growth throughout this journey. Notably, she has been able to gain skills in talking on the phone professionally.
“Having watched her projects and her initiative grow from this initial idea to The Donation Closet has been really inspiring,” Katie Parker, Seaholm’s community school organizer, said.
Parker emphasized the adaptability and resilience that Shane demonstrated as she expanded her reach through the nonprofit.
“She saw a need and leaned in and really built The Donation Closet around that need in our community,” Parker said.
Continuing the journey
Shane is currently a senior at Seaholm High School and plans to attend college next year.
“I would love to start a version of The Donation Closet wherever I go to college next year. I think doing something philanthropic is a great way to bring students from across all the academic paths together,” Shane said.
As for The Donation Closet in her basement, she said she hopes to pass it on to another local high school student so they can “continue its mission locally.”
Follow @thedonationcloset on Instagram for updates and more information on The Donation Closet. To learn more information about how to donate, contact Shane at tessashane7@gmail.com.