Two former Albert Lea residents are combating homelessness by selling essential items.

Father and son duo Jeff and Mike Polis are the founders and operators of Hopkins-based Hoodies for Good, an organization that sells hoodies and other clothing items for adults and children.

Ten percent of gross profits from sales are donated to Twin Cities-based homeless shelters Dakota Woodlands and YouthLink, and 10 percent can be donated to a buyer’s cause, such as for a marching band raising money, for example. The company’s logo resembles a hooded sweatshirt.

“There’s so many people that need help, so when you see people in that situation — and knowing that anybody that we know could be in that situation — it’s real easy to want to help,” Jeff Polis said.

Mike Polis, a 2006 Albert Lea High School graduate, said his idea for the business began last winter as he was leaving downtown Minneapolis when he saw a woman with just a T-shirt on.

“I called my dad and kind of pitched the idea to him right away, and kind of instantaneously it was born, and it happened,” he said. “We’ve evolved a lot from that first time, but that was kind of where it stemmed from.”

Jeff Polis, 52, has owned Albert Lea Domino’s and Quiznos franchises. Mike Polis has an advertising background and is the founder of Backboard Media.

Mike Polis’ initial approach was to give a hoodie to one of the homeless shelters for each one that was bought, but that approach changed after they discussed the plan with the homeless shelters and realized clothing needs can change based on season. Jeff Polis said they became aware that socks, underwear and job interview clothes could be needed.

“We kind of adjusted things that way, and that’s after talking with the homeless shelters of adjusting our approach to just basically when people buy stuff, that would give them a percentage of 10 percent of our gross sales and let them redeem that for any items that they might need,” he said.

The business has been in operation for about a month. Jeff and Mike Polis said they ensure items are high quality and comfortable. Dozens of items were sold as of late last week — including some to Albert Lea residents. The duo hopes sales soon increase.

“We’re really going to try to get hooked up with different organizations and groups — whether that be church groups or college groups or Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts or high school marching bands and that sort of thing — that really see the need to want to help as well, that want to be leaders, that would want to sell our apparel,” Jeff Polis said. 

The duo hopes clothing they provide can help grant a feeling of security in the form of clean clothes for people who are going to job interviews.

“We want each person to know and really want to help in making that purchase, and enjoy the piece that they are buying and wearing, and kind of feel really proud of what it represents, knowing that it’s helping someone that may be less fortunate than they are, and kind of having the pride to wear it out and about, wear it on a daily basis, because they know what it represents, and they like it,” said Mike Polis.