Micah’s Mission hosts first-ever pop-up closet
Community members and Micah’s Mission guests got to peruse clothing options, selected for the coming week’s weather, and fill a grocery bag with the items they needed
A Churches United employee adjusts clothes on the rack during the first-ever pop-up closet at Micah’s Mission on Thursday, Oct. 16.
We all need a little retail therapy from time to time. And that’s exactly what happened in Micah’s Mission’s rec room on Thursday, Oct. 16, as community members and guests got to shop for new clothes at the first-ever pop-up closet.
The idea is simple: set out racks of clothing for men, women and children, and they get to peruse the items, filling a grocery bag with what they need the most. The inaugural event was a lively scene with about 30 community members swinging through to check out the offerings.
“It was a really fun and lively atmosphere,” said Keely Harvey, Churches United volunteer and donation coordinator. “People were smiling, laughing, chatting with each other and giving each other recommendations.”
The clothing items up for grabs were tailored to the coming week’s weather, so that community members and Micah’s Mission guests would have proper clothing for the expected warmer fall days, but much colder evenings, with temperatures projected to drop as low as 33 degrees.
Harvey said that the impetus for the pop-up closet was to meet community members’ needs in the moment. But it also serves another purpose: to provide community members with a retail shopping-like experience without having to worry about the cost.
“It was a really valuable experience for the community we serve and the volunteer (who helped),” Harvey said.
With the success of the first-ever pop-up closet, the plan is to have more in the future, especially as we make our way into winter. Right now, pop-up closets are planned for Wednesdays from 3-5 p.m., but volunteers are needed from 1:30-5:30 p.m. to assist with set up and tear down, as well as help shoppers. Shifts are currently split into two-hour increments.
Harvey encouraged those interested in more social volunteer opportunities to sign up. Reach out to Harvey with questions, keelyh@churches-united.org, or sign up to volunteer at Volunteer — Churches United.