Mission"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
-Matthew 25:25-26, 40 At the Kids' Closet of Decatur County, we believe that all children deserve to feel special. Our desire is that we can make each child that we help feel confident about himself/herself. Sometimes, all it takes to make that happen is a new pair of shoes, a nice shirt, or a cool pair of jeans to give a child the boost of confidence he/she needs to feel good about himself/herself.
We do what we do because we want children to feel the love of God through our care for them. We believe that we can achieve this by providing for those less fortunate. Whatever the case may be, we want to embrace these children wherever they are and in whatever situation they are in because that is what God has called us to do. No matter the circumstances, we know that all children have been created in the image of a sovereign God who loves them, and calls us to do the same. |
Who We Are |
The Kids' Closet of Decatur County is a faith-based, 501(c)(3) registered not-for-profit organization located in Greensburg, Indiana. The purpose is to provide new and gently-used clothing to children in need aging from kindergarten through sixth grade in Decatur County.
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Our History |
The Kids' Closet of Decatur County was founded in 2012 by Sue and Jerry Abplanalp. As a retired elementary school teacher, Sue realized first-hand that self-confidence plays a key role in a child's performance in school. She realized that often times, children of lower income families are looked down upon because they do not have the nicest things in life. Sue felt that God laid it on her heart to provide for those children in need. In August of 2012, Sue took action. She, along with her husband, Jerry, and a dedicated group of volunteers, planned a back-to-school shopping spree. Sue talked to some of the members of First Christian Church, who generously donated children's clothing. The event was hosted in the Family Life Center at First Christian Church. That day, about 200 children from kindergarten to sixth grade received new clothing. That's when Sue knew that there was a big need to me met in the community. Near the end of 2012, Sue and Jerry worked with Stephen Legal Group to become an incorporated entity. This was achieved soon after. Then, Sue and Jerry assembled a team who was passionate about the cause to make up the Board of Directors.
It was decided that the Kids' Closet would open quarterly to provide clothing to the children of Decatur County. The first home of the organization was the basement of First Christian Church, and the Kids' Closet team is eternally grateful for their support from the start. As an organization that runs strictly on donations and grants, there is always a need for fundraising. Throughout the time that the Kids' Closet has existed, there have been many fundraisers. Among these have been a concert, dinners, and scrapbooking and craft events. Serving anywhere from 150 to 250 children at each opening, it was evident that the Kids' Closet needed to expand. Members of the Board of Directors met with city leaders about the possibility of using the facility of City Hall. In the fall of 2013, it was so. This is the Kids' Closet's current operation center. There have been several openings there, one of which was on October 8, 2014. A record-breaking number of families attended: 155. Over 3,000 clothing items were given away at this opening. Currently, the Kids' Closet of Decatur County holds quarterly openings at Greensburg City Hall. Approximately 250 children are served each time. As of October 28, 2015, with the help of H&R Block in Greensburg, the Kids' Closet is officially recognized by the State of Indiana as a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. |