Hopes Closet is Open
Hopes Closet has been quietly serving the Santa Cruz community for many years. The expansion of our new storefront will allow us to serve more children and families in need and we’d like to answer a few FAQ’s!
What is Hopes Closet? Hopes Closet is a children’s clothing bank. We offer new and gently used clothing, shoes, toys, books and equipment to families in need. These items are given free of charge. We provide “Bundles of Hope” to over 300 families a month. Each “Bundle of Hope” includes a weeks worth of clothing, new socks and underwear (when we have them), shoes and age appropriate books and toys.
Do you accept donations? Yes we do! We are currently accepting donations regularly at our roll up door on Monday and Wednesday from 10-5 and Saturdays 11-5. If our roll up door is closed, small donations can be made through our storefront during regular business hours. If you have a large donation, we ask that you make an appointment so we can make space to accommodate you! Text or call us at 831-566-1731
What kind of things can I donate? We accept children’s clothing, shoes, books, toys, games and equipment. We can accept your car seat as long as it has at least one year before it expires (you can check the date on the bottom of the car seat) and it must come with all of its original parts… and most of all, it must be clean!
What happens to my donations? Every item that is donated to our organization is examined, sorted and sent off to its next home. Our first priority is to provide necessities to the families in need who have asked for our assistance. One of the most challenging obstacles we face is having to tell a family that we do not have clothing available for their child. In the generous donations we receive, sometimes we are left with a surplus in certain sizes while lacking in others. The surplus is put into our storefront, where the public can purchase quality items for their children. The profits from the sales in our storefront are used to purchase items necessary to fulfill the needs of the children on our Bundles of Hope wait list. We also receive items that our families simply cannot use. You may find these items available in our storefront as well. If an item cannot be donated to one of our families or put into our storefront, we will happily take it to one of the other great organizations in our county who are also providing necessities to families in our community.
Why is the storefront important? The storefront at Hopes Closet allows families in our community to purchase quality items for their children at an incredibly affordable price. The sales made in the store provide necessary funding to purchase clothing items we simply never have enough of. We are grateful to have an opportunity to continue to recycle items and keep them out of the landfill.
How can I help?
*VOLUNTEER* We believe that everyone has value and skills! If you are interested in being part of our fabulous team, please get in touch! You can email us at info@hopesclosetsc.com or message us on Instagram or Facebook! @hopesclosetsc
The best way to see exactly how things work in this incredible place is to get involved!*DONATE* Donate goods! When your little ones have outgrown their things, bring them by. We’ll find a new home for them!
Our mission is to provide items that allow our families to feel dignified. We ask that your donations are clean and complete.
We are ALWAYS in need of new socks and underwear! Consider picking up a package or two when you’re out shopping. Drop them by anytime! You can also purchase them from Target via our wish list on our website! These come delivered straight to our door!
*DONATE TIME!* We have a variety of ways that you can help further our mission! Love gift wrapping? Want to do a clothing drive at your school or church or in your neighborhood? How about collecting new socks for “Socktober”? Get in touch! Together we make a difference!
*DONATE MONEY!* Sometimes it’s easier to donate monetarily than to go shopping. You can donate to us via Venmo, Pay Pal or visit our Target registry on our website. Your funds will be used to ensure that the families requesting our services are provided for.
With the unfortunate closing of Jelli Beanz, Hopes Closet was able to keep this valuable resource available to our community by continuing to provide quality resale items. Not only are you able to purchase necessary items for your children, but each dollar you spend goes back to into the organization. We are able to use the surplus donations we receive in the storefront, which in turn provides the necessary funding to purchase clothing for the children we were often unable to move off of the wait list.
You may see some familiar faces! We were able to hire back the incredible employees of Jelli Beanz! These highly trained individuals are an incredible addition to our Hopes Closet volunteer team, and though several of them are leaving for college this summer, we are grateful to have them on board during this transition!
Hours: Tuesday to Friday 10-6 and Saturday 11-4.
Call or text: 831-566-1731
Shopping information: 831-462-6700 ~ http://www.hopesclosetsc.com/
Follow us on Facebook or Instagram, https://www.facebook.com/hopesclosetsc
Email us at info@hopesclosetsc.com
2555 Soquel Dr. Santa Cruz
“Hope is born again in the faces of children.”
