Club brings clothes to those in need
Tuition. Rent. Pizza for late-night cram sessions.
When it comes to finances, college students are often strapped for cash and stressed from all angles.
Luckily for them, the Dream Closet is here to help.
Kylie Romashko and Kam Cone created Dream Closet in 2013 to provide clothing to those in need. Dream Closet allows people to come and “shop” from donated clothing. All items are free. Dream Closet events happen each semester. This semester’s event takes place 2-4 p.m. April 2 in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.
Club President Anna Gruenes oversees it all and ensures everything is in order. She said she thinks this club is a great idea, which is why she chose to join back in 2021.
“I am in the club because I want to help people. There are many other reasons, but I think helping people is the main goal of joining Dream Closet,” said Gruenes. “I joined in 2021, and COVID was still pretty heavy. We didn’t have an event until 2022 in the spring. It was pretty slow when I started, but since I’ve taken over as president, I think it’s been a little more involved.”
There are a few ways students can donate clothing, whether by going to the donation boxes directly or contacting them via Facebook or email.
“Some people contact us directly because they have a large amount of clothing they want to donate. Or they can go to our donation boxes and donate that way,” said Gruenes. “We have boxes at Coffee Hag and at Body Concepts. They’re both downtown Mankato.”
Gruenes hopes people receiving the clothes benefit from them. She also hopes they get some excitement from it by receiving what is trending in the world.
“I just hope they kind of get some relief. It doesn’t matter what situation you’re in, whether you’re a struggling college student or a family struggling to get by, you know, we don’t ask questions,” said Gruenes. “I just hope they get some relief and maybe some excitement. Trends are constantly changing, so maybe they’ll find something they’ve really wanted or have been looking for and then have a little bit of excitement.”
Gruenes also encourages them to join the club and says that they should join because “it’s a good cause and feels philanthropic.”
The group will meet a week before the event to go through the clothes and organize everything. Clothes will be laid out on tables with signs on what is what.
For more information on the club and how to donate or join, students can find them on Facebook at Dream Closet, Instagram @dreamclosetkato, or email them at dreamcloset@mnsu.edu.
Header Photo: Dream Closet, pictured above, has been working since 2013 to provide good quality clothing for those in need. This semester’s Dream Closet event takes place on April 2. (Photo Courtesy of Dream Closet)
Write to Lauren Viska at lauren.viska@mnsu.edu