Community Closet @FranklinUMC // January/February 2025

As we move into 2025, we want to take some time to reflect. It is amazing what work we’ve been able to achieve together. The Community Closet officially opened in mid-March of 2024. The Closet aims to collect new and gently used clothing. These items are distributed free of charge to anyone and everyone in the community. It is an experiment in generosity relying on community volunteers and donations to operate. In its nine months of operation, the Closet logged over 400 visits from volunteers and shoppers during regular open hours. It helped an estimated 700 people. This number does not include individual appointments and visits from social service agencies shopping for their constituents. We’ve slowly updated the lighting in the space. We installed permanent shelving. We learned a lot about what it takes to keep the space organized. There is still a lot of work that can be done to the space, but we’re getting there. We’ve even worked on a design to create better access to the Closet (see Phase IV of the Defining Our Generation Capital Campaign)!

2024 was an incredible inaugural year! Thank you to everyone who came to shop. We appreciate all who donated clothing. A big thanks to those who gave their time to sort and host! We are excited to continue this work together with you!

Meet || Shop

The Closet will be open on January 21, February 4, and February 18 from 11a-1p. For persons who cannot make it at these times, individual appointments can be made by emailing the office@franklinumc.org.

Below is the updated flyer for January and February. Feel free to print, download, and distribute it to your friends and neighbors.

Serve || Volunteer

We’ve taken a few weeks off through the holidays. There are quite a few donations that need to be sorted. We have regularly scheduled sorting days planned for January 14, January 28, February 11, and February 25. We’re also looking for volunteers to help host on days when the Closet is open for shopping. Click the button below to view the Community Closet volunteer calendar. Click the date to register. You can even subscribe to the calendar so that you never miss an opportunity to serve. New dates and opportunities are added regularly.

If you are part of an organization or group that would like to volunteer together at a time not listed, please reach out to the office@franklinumc.org.

Share || Donate

Cleaning out your closet? We are continuing to collect new and gently used clothing for all seasons. Specific needs we have, at this time, are:

Children/Youth Winter Coats (all sizes)
Children/Youth Winter Clothing (all sizes)

Winter Hats & Scarves

Men’s Shirts (all sizes)

Hangers
Re-usable Shopping Bags

All donations can be dropped off inside the main entrance of the Franklin United Methodist Church (82 W. Central Street, Franklin)

MONDAY THRU FRIDAY, 8a-2p
SUNDAY, 9:30a-11:30a

Please note, we do not take non-clothing items. Please do not drop-off blankets, furniture, books, or other items unless explicitly asked for. If you have any questions, please contact the office@franklinumc.org.

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