How to Start a Care Closet
Each Care Closet is intended to meet the unique needs and challenges of neighbors who experience or are at risk for food insecurity. If interested in developing your own Care Closet in a congregation or affiliated ministry of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, we recommend the following:
- Develop a leadership team able to craft the vision and sustainable plan to explore, implement, and sustain a Care Closet. Be sure this team is supported by the leadership and vision of the related congregation(s).
- Visit a local Care Closet to develop a network of support to help you get started and share resources, strategies, best practices, etc.
- Asses the needs of your community and neighborhood to become aware of the unique variables and contributing factors that lead to food insecurity and hunger.
- Contact leadership of the Care Closets in the Presbytery of Philadelphia to become trained and certified for operation. For more information, contact Grace Marable
- Develop a strategy for coordinating, hosting, and managing Care Closet. This includes when the Care Closet will be opened, what you will offer and provide, keeping records of those served by your Care Closet, and communicating with supporters, grant providers, and related hunger alleviation networks. This includes tracking receipts, invoices, bill payments, etc.
- Find a location to host the Care Closet that has adequate storage, shelves, security, refrigeration and freezers, etc.
- Recruit volunteers to begin to launch your Care Closet, write grant requests, pick up and pack food and other supplies, manage Care
- Closet when opened, and maintain the location of Care Closet.
- Develop a plan to share the stories of your Care Closet Ministry with partners and other Care Closets, both written and through photos.
- Participate in Care Closet network conversations, trainings, fundraising events, etc.
- Pray for the end of local and global hunger even as you serve.
