By Kristin Boza
Kids grow fast and clothes aren’t cheap. Not only that, the piles of outgrown clothes have a tendency to quickly take over closets and basement storage bins. Beverly Covenant Church, 10545 S. Claremont, is offering a free solution to every member of the Beverly/Morgan Park community through its Covenant Closet initiative. On the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon, anyone and everyone is invited to drop off their gently used clothes and/or shop the closet for the clothing they need. Depending on donations, there is clothing available in newborn sizes all the way up to adult sizes.
Janet Borggren, chairperson of Beverly Covenant Church, helps church volunteers organize the closet and bring awareness to its existence. The clothing swap has been around for decades, informally through the Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) program that meets at the church. Last year, the group decided to expand the offering to anyone in the community as a way to recycle and reuse clothing while also saving money.
“Literally everyone is welcome to shop the Covenant Closet. I envision this as a modern version of hand-me-downs; everyone still needs the clothes, but may not have the connections to share with other families. We’re able to make those connections,” Borggren said. “We operate under the idea that people should ‘take what you need, give what you can.’ We want to turn the Closet into something that the community can use.”
Borggren shared the story of one family that used the Closet through the MOPS program. “Beth Nelson is a church member, former MOPS mom and mother of three daughters. While sorting clothing donations one day, she came across an old favorite! It was a dress she had taken from the Closet when her youngest daughter, Emily, was a toddler. When Emily outgrew the outfit, Beth donated it back. It had obviously been used by at least one other family and was back for another round. The dress was still in great shape, as all of its former owners outgrew it well before it was worn out.”
The Covenant Closet is looking to build momentum to maintain a wide variety of clothing for all ages. It will be open Sat., Sept. 15, 9 a.m. to noon. Stay up to date on the closet by visiting their Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/BeverlyCovenant, or calling the church office, 773-445-4319
