Church of Christ to provide clothing to those in need

The ladies at Linton Church of Christ are on a mission. A mission to help others who need clothing.

"We have a food pantry there at church, and the more I thought about it, well, people need help with clothing and stuff (for) work ... if they're working at a minimum wage job or whatever," church member Pat Taylor explained.

Taylor and others first thought about supplying clothes for students going back to school, but scratched that idea. They came up with a bigger challenge.

"(The idea) mushroomed into adult clothing (along with children)," Taylor recalled. "We thought that way it could help the community, and everything is free.

"We feel like God told us to do this. It's a church mission and we want the community people out there to know people care."

The church is located at the corner of 4th and C Sts. NW, and the clothing pantry will be in the garage. It's scheduled to be open 3-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of each week.

Taylor said they hope to have the clothing pantry open within the next week or so.

"Because the kids are going back to school and they will need clothes," Taylor noted.

Taylor said adults and children can come in and trade their clothes for a size smaller or bigger, or can just get some clothes if they don't have any to trade.

The clothing pantry will also include shoes, coats and other such items.

"We'll take clothes, shoes, whatever they want to bring in," Taylor said.

She stressed that items brought to the clothing pantry should "be stuff that you would want to be seen in."

As of now the church will call the facility the clothing pantry, but members are trying to come up with a name.

"We liked God's Closet, but that's the name of one in Hymera. We thought people might get mixed up," Taylor said.

Taylor stressed that the church's food/clothing pantry isn't in competition with any other such facility in the area.

"Others are doing it too, and it's wonderful," she said.

If you would like to donate items, you can drop them off at the church. Taylor suggests you call her at 847-1894 or 798-0022 or Thelma Turpen at 847-7590 before going to the church.

"One of us will help if they call," Turpen noted.

"The ladies in the church are willing to come and stay at the shop while it's open."

Chris is the general manager/editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at cpruett79@hotmail.com .