Bryan Rotary Club met virtually on Friday, February 26, and welcomed guest speaker Chantell Dominique of Bloom Kids Closet. Their mission statement says it all:
To encourage self-worth and dignity for kids in foster care, kinship, or who have been the victims of abuse, neglect, or other hardships by providing them with clothing and necessities that will allow them to Bloom as they navigate through the next steps in their life.
As a CASA voice, Chantell Dominique realized the urgent need to provide new or almost new clothing to children. Everyone is entitled to dignity, and forcing traumatized children to wear worn-out clothes or forego necessities should not be happening in Williams County.
Bloom wants to provide support to these children to combat demoralization and peer stigmatization. Working closely with local schools and the court system, Blooms has been able to identify the children in need, but there are so many more.
Chantell, with board members Melissa Stockman (president), Kylee Uran (Secretary), and Kelly Linebrink (Treasurer), have worked tirelessly throughout a year with pandemic restrictions. Distributions made so far came from the community bins and financial donations.
Bloom is a registered nonprofit 501 (c) (3) working with other charities in the community to ensure no one is left behind and resources are not squandered.
Bloom Kids Closet is not open to the public but is a sorting warehouse residing in a local rent-free space. So far, they have distributed more than 25 bloom bags, 12 brand-new backpacks, and numerous pillows.
Everyone is welcome to place any donations of new clothing and hygiene products in the Bloom bins found at Endless Creations and Edward Jones.
The nonprofit works with local businesses to run fundraisers. Some of the current fundraisers are GenFed lottery tickets raffle, Bryan Civic League St. Patrick’s Day Raffle, AmazonSmile, and many more around the area.
Future events planned are in the works, including a “sponsor a hanger” program (givebutter.com/Hanger), stock closet drive, PJ drive, and numerous other drives.
If you would like to receive a donation, please go to their Facebook page “Bloom – Kids Closet” for a clothing request form. More information is available at facebook.com/BloomKidsCloset.
Bryan Rotary Club thanked Chantell Dominique for her informative presentation and will donate a book in her honor to the Williams County Public Library.
The club’s next virtual meeting on Friday, March 6, will host guest speaker Amy Miller discussing PIP. To join the virtual meeting, send an email to bryanohiorotary@gmail.com.
