Almost every year that it is held, the Pine Grove Clothing Closet, a clothing giveaway event that provides items for men, women, and children, changes a little with the goal of improving. In 2023, the event grew from offering only children's clothing, toys, and books to providing gently used items for teenagers and adults.

This year, organizers have added extra donation hours during the week prior to the giveaway. Donation hours will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Tuesday, Feb. 11, through Friday, Feb. 14. From Tuesday, Feb. 18, through Thursday, Feb. 20, hours will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and also from 6 to 8 p.m. each day. "It's like two weeks (to donate this year)," commented Pine Grove associate pastor of ministries Jaiden Brandt. "The week of (the event), we will actually have evening donation hours so that people who work during the day will have time to donate."

This year's Pine Grove Clothing Closet will be held at the church, 1194 Reading Road, Bowmansville, on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brandt stated that the goal of the event is to show love to area residents in need by reaching out in a tangible way. Brandt reported that the church great room will be filled with free clothing and items for children; two other rooms - one with men's clothing and one with women's clothing - and a hallway where shoes will be available will be set up for the giveaway. Brandt noted that coats, shoes, boots, hats, scarves, and mittens are usually among the items available at the giveaway.

Another addition to this year's event will be a table offering free coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries. "Our youth in grades six to 12 will serve (the food items)," noted Brandt.

Donations that will be accepted for the giveaway include clothing for people of all ages. Specifically, clothing items that are clean, smoke-free, and sorted by size and gender are requested. Car seats, cribs, and other baby furniture items are not accepted.

"If (donated items) aren't marked, we slap a sticker on them when they arrive," explained Brandt, who pointed out that presorting will help the up to 70 church volunteers who work to set up the giveaway on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 20, and during the day on Friday, Feb. 21. "On Thursday evening, a team of church volunteers starts setting up," stated Brandt. "They get the tables out and start unloading a big trailer in the parking lot (where the clothing donations are stored). All day Friday, the two shifts sort the clothes and put (them) on tables and coat racks and get (them) displayed."

The giveaway began with two mothers who attend Pine Grove who decided to give away children's clothing. One was a mother of four and the other a mother of six, and the two had a lot of gently used clothing items to pass on for reuse. Brandt noted that both those mothers still volunteer to help out at the event. "It's cool how it started with those two moms with extra clothing to give," he noted.

In addition to providing free clothing, the giveaway has introduced a number of families to the ministry of Pine Grove. Brandt said that last year 123 families came through church doors to the giveaway, and that 69 of those were attending the event for the first time. According to Brandt, those numbers translate to 270 children and 203 adults served.

Any items left after the giveaway will be donated to local thrift shops and to Unto in Mount Joy.

More information may be found by searching for "Pine Grove Church Clothing Closet" on Facebook or by calling 717-445-5136.