Caring Closet is a non-profit organization that provides high-quality clothing to children and their families who need it at no cost.
Our Story
Imagine suddenly having to leave behind your home, clothing and belongings. For children facing economic instability or domestic transition, a sense of stability, safety and confidence can be restored when their basic needs are met. For children in need, clothes aren’t just about fit and fashion … it’s about well-being and the ability to meet the challenges they face.
This is what prompted Sara Fender to found Caring Closet. In her work with Shineforth (formerly UMFS), a Virginia nonprofit that provides foster care, residential treatment and other services for children and families, Sara saw many children overwhelmed by the lifechanging adjustments they had to make. To help children who often arrived at Shineforth with no more than the clothes on their backs, Sara began collecting clothes in her garage. With the support of friends, volunteers and partners, her collection grew into much more.
Today, Caring Closet provides high-quality clothing, necessities and comfort items to children and families through partnerships with organizations and individuals throughout the Richmond community. Caring Closet strives to increase stability, confidence and in turn, opportunity. Whether getting ready for the first day of school or a job interview, clothing makes a difference in how we feel and how others feel about us. Our clothing donations are curated and personalized to help children and their families build dignity and confidence.
When you donate to the Caring Closet, you’re truly changing lives.
Our Vision
Empowering people to live their lives with dignity and confidence.
Why The CC Was Started
The BIG Picture Problem
There’s a lack of free, high-quality clothing available to local families in challenging situations. In addition, some children and families are in need of basic necessities and hygiene items.
What Solutions Do We Provide?
Caring Closet accepts, organizes, curates and donates consignment-quality, FREE clothing, offering timely assistance in a supportive setting, as well as bags filled with necessities and comfort items that are tailored to the needs of the recipients.
Why is this Important?
Lack of adequate, appropriate clothing and hygiene supplies impact a variety of social and economic aspects of a person’s life, including peer acceptance, employment and education opportunities, and quality of life.
Our Value to the Community
Through our clothing and supply donation services, Caring Closet:
Helps improve clients’ quality of life through independence, self-confidence, health, security and peer acceptance.
Helps strengthen our partners’ client services.
Provides volunteer opportunities to various community groups, schools, service programs, and individuals throughout the Richmond area.
Our Impact
We are excited to announce we have served over 14,000 clients!!
Without question, what we wear is an expression of our identity. The fashion we choose and clothes we wear reflect the way we see ourselves … and how we want others to perceive us. Studies show clothing influences psychological wellbeing and performance. Clothes that fit and feel good improve self-worth, helping our clients feel more confident … empowering and propelling them toward a more successful future.
With these values and vision, Caring Closet curates consignment-quality bags of clothing that are specifically hand selected for our clients based on their requests. These intentional, customized donations help build our clients’ confidence, positioning them for enhanced economic and employment opportunities, peer acceptance, and community connections.
We have served over 14,000 clients!!
Our Mission
To improve equitable access to quality necessities for the vulnerable population.
WHO WE ARE
We’re a diverse team of community members – including teachers, attorneys, clinicians, business professionals, parents, volunteers and retirees – who work together to make life better for children and families in need. Our wide range of backgrounds help us approach problems from various perspectives to develop creative solutions.
Management Team
Executive Director, Bags 4 Kids – Jody Floegel
Jody transitioned from a Trust & Estates attorney to the probate department of the American Cancer Society after discovering her passion for nonprofit work. After becoming a mother and moving to Virginia, Jody started the Bags 4 Kids program.
Client Services - Jenn Bradshaw
Jenn worked as a pediatric mental health clinician in intensive outpatient and emergency crisis settings before moving her focus to raising a family and volunteering with the Caring Closet, local public schools and her church.
Donations – Lisa Fahrenkrog
Lisa has been volunteering with the Caring Closet over the last few years, working mostly with donations. She loves working with and being inspired by an incredible group of women to serve the children and teens of RVA! Lisa is a wife and a mom navigating college with her daughter while also working as a registered nurse with cardiac patients.
Operations and Collections – Jackie Childrey
Jackie has spent years serving the local non-profit community and currently supports the inventory team at the Caring Closet. Passionate about local travel, nature, and photography, she and her family enjoy exploring all that Virginia has to offer.
Volunteers – Hope Meihaus
Hope is a financial controller with prior experience in marketing and content creation. A 2021 graduate of VCU, she enjoys applying her diverse skill set to support the Caring Closet's mission and community-focused efforts in Richmond.
Hope Bins – Jenn Bradshaw
Jenn worked as a pediatric mental health clinician in intensive outpatient and emergency crisis settings before moving her focus to raising a family and volunteering with the Caring Closet, local public schools and her church.
Board
Founder and Board Member - Sara Fender
Sara has more than three decades of experience in the customer service industry, including retail management, sales and partner development. As an adoptive parent and certified foster parent, she has seen firsthand the needs of at-risk families.
Chair - Ann Vaughan
Ann has worked as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill and served in the government relations departments of two national nonprofit organizations. She is currently a Program Manager at the Cancer Action Coalition of Virginia.
Secretary – Jody Floegel
Jody transitioned from a Trust & Estates attorney to the probate department of the American Cancer Society after discovering her passion for nonprofit work. After becoming a mother and moving to Virginia, Jody started the Bags 4 Kids program.
Board Member - Megan Masini
Megan has worked in the retail industry for 15+ years servicing clients and putting a focus on volunteer efforts throughout her career. After facilitating many large-scale donations for the closet, she was asked to join the board in 2024 to help continue to fulfill clothing needs. She was born and raised here in Richmond and lives in Henrico with her young daughter.
Board Member - Tracy Teal
Tracy is an accountant with a diverse background in public accounting, corporate accounting and investor relations. For the past 20 years, she has specialized in providing bookkeeping and accounting services to small and medium-sized local businesses. A dedicated community member, she has a long history of volunteering for churches, schools/kids’ activities and local community organizations.
Data Analyst – Angie Wetzel, Ph.D.
Angie is a faculty member and director of assessment for Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Education. She uses her facility with statistics to maintain data systems and interpret trends for the Caring Closet.
Board Member - Bruce Willard
Bruce has more than 30 years of experience working with customers in the banking, insurance and finance industries. An active volunteer in his church and the local community, Bruce lives in Glen Allen with his wife and daughter.
