Explore the organization providing free clothing, household items to people in Our Town Milford

MILFORD, Ill. (WCIA) — This week, WCIA is highlighting Our Town Milford, and the village of about 1,300 people has a lot to offer. At Angel’s Closet , the volunteers are dedicated to giving back to their community.

The non-profit is dedicated to providing gently used clothing and household items to those who need it the most. It started in 2009 when a home health nurse noticed a problem.

“She would go into people’s residences, and see sadness,” Barbara Davis, a volunteer, said. “These people had no shoes, or no clothing, no nightgowns, no nothing.”

Donations started piling up in the basement, but after six months, space ran out and the shop opened.

Now, people head right into downtown to get clothing, household goods, towels, sheets and anything else they may need.

The first step when guests walk in is signing the registry book. It’s not just to keep track of the thousands who come by each year, but the volunteers want to call everyone by name.

“With some of them, it’s almost like we’re part of their family,” Judy Ziebart, another volunteer, explained.

The word of their mission has grown over the years, with people stopping in from Peoria or Chicago. Often, they want to spread the love too and learn how to expand the idea in their own cities.

“Every single town could do this. All it takes is somebody that says ‘Yeah, I can help!'” Davis said.

But for now, the team of volunteers wants to focus on Our Town Milford and keep making Angel’s Closet a welcoming space for those who need it the most.

The organization is hosting a drive-thru pork chop dinner fundraiser on Sept. 21 at the Methodist Church in town. All the money supports Angel’s Closet so they can pay rent and support the village.

WCIA will be in Downtown Milford on Friday, Aug. 23 from 4-7 p.m. It’s the last “Our Town” event of the summer, complete with live music, food, games, face painting and more. You can see the full lineup of plans at this link .

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