Local Church Serves Those In Need With Community Closet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Local Church Serves Those In Need With Community Closet
By Jennifer [email protected]
They were participating in the church's Community Closet it holds every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Community Closet is held in collaboration with a Community Kitchen where free lunch is served every Wednesday to those in need in the church basement from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The church previously offered a soup kitchen for years at the church that was on the last two working days of the month, but started the Community Kitchen in February 2008 to replace the soup kitchen.
The Community Closet was founded in December by four members of a small group Bible study from the church. The members who started the Community Closet are Dianne Ratliff, Kevin Zachary, Deb Becknell and Deb Bishop.
"We wanted to do something to help the community and are pretty much wiped out of supplies each week and are in need of continuous donations," Ratliff said.
Becknell said she hopes those who come to the closet learn that people care about them and their well being.
The church members, along with other volunteers, distribute toilet paper, paper towels and feminine hygiene products every Wednesday for free.
Every three weeks those who visit the closet are allowed to receive free laundry and dishwashing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, bar soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, baby wipes and cleaning supplies.
The items are donated by businesses, residents and churches.
When a person comes to the closet their name is written on an index card, and they also provide information on how many people are in their family. The items they receive each time they visit the closet also are written on the notecard.
All items that are in plastic containers have dates labeled on the bottles, and those who receive the items are encouraged to return the empty plastic containers to the church so they can be recycled.
Zachary said volunteers from the Community Closet distribute a minimum of $300 worth of supplies per week, and serve approximately 60 families per week. He said the number accounts for families who return, and they also see an occasional new family.
"The way I look at it is some people are able to take care of their basic needs and buy what they need, but a lot of the people who come here don't have the money to buy these items so their needs are met," Zachary said.
Cuahizo Margarita, Warsaw, stocked up on diapers, Kleenex, toilet paper and soap Wednesday with her eight children in line with her. She and her children have used the Closet's services for the past three months.
"Coming to the Community Closet helps me have money left over to buy food for my family," Margarita said.
Sue Hickman, food nutrition program assistant for Purdue Extension office, said her job is to assist the community in finding food security and teach people how to stretch their food dollars.
"The Community Closet allows those who can't purchase paper and hygiene items with their food stamps to be able to accomplish that and have money to purchase food," Hickman said.
The church is seeking donations from the community for the Community Closet including toilet paper, paper towels, sanitary supplies for women, laundry and dishwashing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, diapers, bar soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, baby wipes and cleaning supplies.
People who want to donate items can drop them off at the church Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. They also can contribute financially by making a check out to First United Methodist Church of Warsaw with Community Closet in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to the church at 179 S. Indiana St., Warsaw, IN 46581.
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They were participating in the church's Community Closet it holds every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Community Closet is held in collaboration with a Community Kitchen where free lunch is served every Wednesday to those in need in the church basement from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The church previously offered a soup kitchen for years at the church that was on the last two working days of the month, but started the Community Kitchen in February 2008 to replace the soup kitchen.
The Community Closet was founded in December by four members of a small group Bible study from the church. The members who started the Community Closet are Dianne Ratliff, Kevin Zachary, Deb Becknell and Deb Bishop.
"We wanted to do something to help the community and are pretty much wiped out of supplies each week and are in need of continuous donations," Ratliff said.
Becknell said she hopes those who come to the closet learn that people care about them and their well being.
The church members, along with other volunteers, distribute toilet paper, paper towels and feminine hygiene products every Wednesday for free.
Every three weeks those who visit the closet are allowed to receive free laundry and dishwashing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, bar soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, baby wipes and cleaning supplies.
The items are donated by businesses, residents and churches.
When a person comes to the closet their name is written on an index card, and they also provide information on how many people are in their family. The items they receive each time they visit the closet also are written on the notecard.
All items that are in plastic containers have dates labeled on the bottles, and those who receive the items are encouraged to return the empty plastic containers to the church so they can be recycled.
Zachary said volunteers from the Community Closet distribute a minimum of $300 worth of supplies per week, and serve approximately 60 families per week. He said the number accounts for families who return, and they also see an occasional new family.
"The way I look at it is some people are able to take care of their basic needs and buy what they need, but a lot of the people who come here don't have the money to buy these items so their needs are met," Zachary said.
Cuahizo Margarita, Warsaw, stocked up on diapers, Kleenex, toilet paper and soap Wednesday with her eight children in line with her. She and her children have used the Closet's services for the past three months.
"Coming to the Community Closet helps me have money left over to buy food for my family," Margarita said.
Sue Hickman, food nutrition program assistant for Purdue Extension office, said her job is to assist the community in finding food security and teach people how to stretch their food dollars.
"The Community Closet allows those who can't purchase paper and hygiene items with their food stamps to be able to accomplish that and have money to purchase food," Hickman said.
The church is seeking donations from the community for the Community Closet including toilet paper, paper towels, sanitary supplies for women, laundry and dishwashing detergent, toothpaste, toothbrushes, sunscreen, diapers, bar soap, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, baby wipes and cleaning supplies.
People who want to donate items can drop them off at the church Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. They also can contribute financially by making a check out to First United Methodist Church of Warsaw with Community Closet in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to the church at 179 S. Indiana St., Warsaw, IN 46581.
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