YOUNGSTOWN - Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries has donated clothing to Mercy Health Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Youngstown to help keep its patient clothing closet stocked up.

These donations consisted of several clothing items like shirts, pants, jackets and other essential garments for patients in need.

Saint Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital President Kathy Harley thanked Goodwill for its donation.

"Clothing is fundamental to human dignity and our clothing closet enables us to provide our patients in need with shirts, pants, shoes and other necessities," Harley said.

The hospital's clothing closet started with hospital associates donating their extra clothes. Since then, Mercy Health partnered with Goodwill to expand the closet and provide clothes to even more patients.

In addition to patients, the closet is also available to those facing emergencies, homelessness or unexpected hospital stays.

Goodwill is looking to expand the clothing closet beyond Saint Elizabeth Hospital, with the organization planning to start a closet at Mercy Health's new behavioral hospital on Belmont Avenue in Liberty Township once it opens.