Clothing exchange supports community

The Heart of the Hills Love INC brought the first ever Community Kids Clothing Exchange to the Hill City Center Aug. 19. Families could “shop” for gently-used clothing of all types donated by members of the community.

 

A nice steady flow of “customers” filled the room. Some came for back to school items while others had emptied out their closets and were looking for replacement items.

 

Nearly 10-year-old Shiloh Lietz was looking for clothing for her baby sister and neighbor boy’s birthday. She found pajamas, a dress and skirt for her sister as well as jeans and a T-shirt for herself. Among the items in her bag was a dress her mom, Danielle, had donated that she reclaimed.

 

“With kids constantly growing it’s hard to keep up,” Danielle said. She looked at the event not only as a way to go through her own family’s closets and filter out clothing but also as an opportunity to find something new for her children.

 

Organizer Natalie Culter of Heart of the Hills Love INC didn’t know what to expect prior to the event but felt the turnout was fabulous.

 

“We heard over and over from community members that they wanted a place to drop off gently used clothing that would stay in the community,” she said.

 

Love INC received an assortment of gently used childrens’, womens’, and mens’ clothing as well as shoes and accessories. Someone even donated new underwear and socks.

 

Shoppers who stopped by were asked how they heard about the event when they entered and then asked for improvement suggestions upon leaving.

 

“We try to learn from it and do everything we can to make it better,” Cutler says.

 

Culter hopes any future clothing exchange can take place on a Saturday to accommodate working parents.