Throughout the past year, Whittier church has grown its community outreach by introducing a community closet ministry. Every second and fourth Sabbath from 3-5 p.m., visitors to the church’s Adventist Community Services food pantry can now also select from a variety of free clothing, shoes, accessories, and toys for all ages. This May, Whittier church celebrated the first anniversary of this impactful initiative.
Alice Anderson, community closet coordinator, recalls how the ministry began with a small distribution of a blanket, sandwich, and water to unsheltered people in Whittier during the pandemic. “When the church reopened, we collected clothing and shoes and had tables set up in front of the church, giving these items away for free,” Anderson shared. “After the inception of the food pantry, we set up tables and racks of clothing in the gym while we remodeled the upstairs room that had ‘closets.’ From there, the community closet was formed.”
The ministry has since transformed into a dedicated space that provides guests with dignity. Just as they can choose items from the food pantry, visitors to the community closet can sort through categorized clothing hanging on racks or shoes tucked away in shelves, as if they are shopping at a retail store.
One-on-one conversations, smiling faces, and returning families are just some of the elements that bring joy to the volunteers. For Crystal Rodriguez, volunteering evokes memories of her childhood. “I remember growing up with my mom, [who was] a single mom looking for clothes, [and] it was always really hard,” Rodriguez shared. “I think being able to help those single moms or those families in need is the biggest impact for me.”
In the past year, the community closet has brought so many people in the area together. The closet receives donations from church members and local residents, and any surplus is passed on to a local Goodwill or Salvation Army.
“I’ve gotten phone calls from people in the community looking for a place to donate clothes,” said Ben Guerrero, Whittier church pastor. “I’m so excited to see the passion and creativity of our people, how they started this ministry from just one bag of clothes, and how it grew.”
“It has been a labor of love,” Anderson added, reflecting on a year of the community closet. “We are proud of this ministry, and I pray that it will be sustained for many years to come.”
