Outfits Closet in Tarentum sells wardrobe staples, lifts spirits

Ruth Conklin spends her Saturday mornings straightening shirts and jackets hung from racks in the basement of Central Presbyterian Church in Tarentum.

A volunteer for five a long time, Conklin reported the Garments Closet is a hidden gem.

“You can come across manufacturer-new winter coats, with tags, and a lot of pretty wonderful outfits,” Conklin stated, from the church basement at 305 Allegheny St. “The persons are so pleasant, much too.”

The Apparel Closet is celebrating its 12th calendar year of community outreach. Church leaders explained the mission aligns with that of the church — to functionality as a social collecting location and to carry spirits.

Browsing commences at 11 a.m. Saturdays at the makeshift store filled with apparel, sneakers, hats and purses. A lot more than a dozen purchasers peruse the area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. just about every week, eyeing the things neatly arranged in all sizes for gentlemen, ladies and kids.

“This support is significant since every single 7 days the clothes ministry serves people who are battling and we want to support make them a small much less pressured about life’s worries,” Director Skylar Houck stated.

The clothing ministry overlaps with totally free food assistance from the foodstuff ministry, so people today can store and then sit down for a very hot bowl of soup or a do-it-yourself sandwich.

“People have adequate worries,” Houck claimed. “If we can reduce at least a single of people worries by offering reasonably priced garments, then we’re joyful.”

With goods marked at bargain rates, people today can simply obtain an whole new wardrobe for a lot less than $10.

The mission is to enable people in need, regardless of whether it is company garments for a career interview or dressy goods for a exclusive event. The place is stocked with summer and winter dress in for children, blankets, athletic attire and gloves.

For $2, buyers can things a plastic grocery bag full of clothes a substantial bag complete of merchandise prices $5.

“Items are priced low-cost so people today can pay for them, but we stock quite good clothing,” Houck said. “The additional persons that we can enable out, the much better.”

On a current Saturday, there were being rows of trousers in all measurements, shelves total of men’s sneakers and jackets and fancy social dresses still with cost tags. A model-new 9 West purse, marked at $65, was dropped off that morning waiting to be stocked.

“People are truly so offering, and we often have truly great things coming in,” Houck said.

The church’s administrative assistant, Gail Taglieri, stated the clothing ministry is even far more active than common since the pandemic commenced two many years ago.

Taglieri stated a exceptional highlight of the clothes pantry is that items not marketed in just a sure time restrict are donated to Mission Partners in Somerset.

That team distributes to other nonprofits or recycles the outfits into material for insulation and bedding.

“It is utilized, in some way, somewhat than developing additional waste in the setting,” Taglieri reported. “That, I like.”

Houck reported the Garments Closet accepts donations day by day at the church. The public has turn into so generous with bags and bins dropped off that the apparel pantry pretty much in no way lacks in any office, Houck explained.

“If I experienced to select 1 factor that we have to have, it is men’s casual dress in like T-shirts and tennis footwear,” she said.

There are no cash flow pointers to procuring at the Outfits Closet.

Any individual fascinated in donating can call the church at 724-224-9220.