CUSHING – Tucked away in the Cushing Community Center is a little organization trying to make the world a better place for the surrounding community. Crystal’s Closet takes in gently used clothing, organizes it and welcomes the community to shop and restock their closets, free of charge.
Starting in October of 2018, the idea of Crystal’s Closet began with the passing of a family member in the Becker family. Crystal Becker grew up in the Twin Cities in a family of four. Her mother and two brothers sometimes struggled to make ends meet, and Crystal would work at McDonald’s after school to buy “cool” clothes for her brothers. Hearing this story at her funeral, the story touched the hearts of family members and an idea came to mind. With the busyness of families, it’s often hard to find the time to sell outgrown clothes online or to organize a garage sale. Why not simply get them in the hands of children and families that need them?
The collecting and organizing of donations started in October of 2018 and the following March Crystal’s Closet opened its doors to the public. With everything from jeans to school-specific clothing, athletic shoes, prom dresses, shoes and purses, everyone was sure to find something they liked. The collecting of rolling suitcases and the collaboration with the social workers of Polk County turned into another idea. In the unfortunate circumstance of a child needing clothing through the social services department, a social worker will let Crystal’s Closet know sizes for clothing that is needed. With no other information given, such as the name or where the child even lives, the staff of Crystal’s Closet will then “shop” for this child, load up the clothes in a rolling suitcase and hand it off to the social worker, who would then deliver it to the child in need. All with total anonymity.
Crystal’s Closet is open the first and third full weekends of every month, from noon-3 p.m. Located at the Cushing Community Center, the entry is on the backside of the center. Brianna Prahl, manager of Crystal’s Closet, strives to create a space for the community to donate and receive free clothing. Updates and photos can be found on the organizations Facebook site at facebook.com/crystalsclosetcushing.
Prahl added, “If people care to donate to Crystal’s Closet, consider making a monetary donation to the Cushing Community Center, as they give us our space for free.”
