Starke County Chamber Of Commerce Business of the Month

11/2017 Kid's Closet Collecting Hygiene Products

6/17/17 LuLaRoe Fundraiser for Kids Closet

Join us on 6/17/17 from 1-4 p.m. CST for a multi consultant LuLaRoe fundraiser benefitting Kids Closet!

The event will take place during the Mint Festival at 305 Lane Street, North Judson.

7/25 & 26/2016 Kids Closet Ministry Pack-A-Backpack Event

Kankakee Valley REMC Equips Students for School

Published: August 29, 2015 By: Mary Perren, WKVI 

Students in Starke, LaPorte and Porter Counties went back to school with new supplies thanks to Kankakee Valley REMC’s second annual Pack a Backpack program. Members purchased supplies or made monetary donations to help provide for students in need.

Marketing director Amanda Steeb says hundreds of students in the communities they serve can’t afford the supplies required by schools. She credits the generosity of KVREMC members with providing for 250 students.

Kids Closet Ministry in North Judson was one of the recipients of supplies from Kankakee Valley REMC. Founder and director Linda Lewandowski says their donations helped provide for one-third of the Starke County students served during their recent Pack-a-Backpack event.

Vote for Kids Closet Ministry in SafeCo’s Make More Happen Contest

Published: August 7, 2015 By: Jacque Ryan, WKVI

Kids Closet Ministry assists the youth of Starke County year-round. From providing backpacks and school supplies at the start of the school year to doling out winter wear in the colder months, Kids Closet Ministry is constantly there for the children in the area. Now you have a chance to give back to this generous organization with Safe-Co’s a Make More Happen program.

Earlier this summer First Choice Insurance employee Carrie Block asked the founder of Kid’s Closet Ministry, Linda Lewandowski for permission to apply for a grant through Safe-co’s “Make More Happen” program. All the necessary information was provided and Block applied for the grant, which was approved. The organization received an initial $3,000 however it doesn’t end there. From now until August 17 you can vote for Kids Closet Ministry to help them receive an additional sum of money anywhere from three to ten thousand dollars. Since the goal of 28,000 votes was reached, all 33 organizations in the contest will get $500.

Voting is simple and you can even do it more than once. In order to vote visit the Safe-Co Make More Happen page. You can either search by the agency name and pick the top option on the list, 1st Choice Insurance or search by charity name and scroll down to find Kids Closet. Select either one and a window will pop up with the organization description. In the top right corner there is a vote button, click that and it will show you a message saying you can vote again in 24 hours. Underneath the vote button there is the option to leave a ‘cheer’, where you have your opportunity to express your opinion about Kids Closet Ministry and display it for all to see.

The top three organizations with the most votes will respectively win $10,000, $5,000 or $3,000. Its time to give back to Kids Closet Ministry who provide so much for our community. You have until 10 am on Monday, August 17 to get your votes in. Do your part by voting as much as you can and spreading the word about assisting this local charity.

Kids Closet Receives a Plethora of Supplies for Upcoming Back-to-School Event

Published: July 25, 2015 By: Jacque Ryan, WKVI

Kids Closet Ministry annually provides school supplies to underprivileged children in Starke County with their Pack-a-Backpack event. Community members get the chance to contribute during their school supply drives. This year while Kids Closet was posted outside the Dollar General stores in North Judson and Knox they received an ample amount of supplies from weekend shoppers. However it was the donations from two other local foundations that helped provide the new backpacks for all the donated supplies.

Kankakee Valley REMC donated 100 backpacks along with enough supplies for 100 children. Kids Closet also received a generous monetary donation of $2,000 from Starke United which helped offset the cost of buying even more backpacks. With the collected supplies and bags Linda Lewandowski, founder and director believes they have enough resources available to help 100 more kids than last year.

She said, “We should have about 350 backpacks. We will also have a table set-up for those that might need school clothes for their children. Last year we had about 250 kids walk through our door, so this year I’m thinking, we’ll have more.”

In order to receive a backpack parents are required to fill out some paperwork, confirming that your child is enrolled at any Starke County School. This offer applies to any kids attending local pre-schools as well as any students going to North Judson-San Pierre, Oregon-Davis or Knox Community schools this fall.

This event is meant to assist students on free or reduced lunch. Since Kids Closet operates on an honesty policy no information is required proving that you are in need of assistance. However, if you can afford school supplies you shouldn’t abuse the organizations’ trust and potentially take a backpack away from a family that cannot afford it. Kids Closet Ministry will be in fellowship hall at the North Judson United Methodist Church on Monday, July 27th and Tuesday, July 28th from 5 o’clock until 7pm.

7/27 & 28/2015 Pack-A-Backpack @ NJ United Methodist Church

Kids Closet Ministry Receives Grant

Published: November 11, 2014
By: Mitch Columbe, WKVI

Starke County children will stay warm this winter thanks to a grant from the Starke County Community Foundation to the Kids Closet Ministry at North Judson United Methodist Church. The $2,000 in community fund money will be used to buy coats and boots for children in need.

Local school teachers and the Department of Children Services refer youngsters to the Kids Closet Ministry. New and gently used clothing are collected to meet those needs. Items can be left at their drop-off building next to the North Judson United Methodist Church.