Clothes pantry at Salem church reopens

SALEM -- First United Methodist Church members have reopened the free clothes pantry located in the church's lower level to assist people in need.

Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays from now until April 4 or by appointment by calling 330-881-0182. The church is located at 244 S. Broadway Ave.

Wearing of masks is required, along with social distancing.

"We just want to help out the community," church member Lori Brooks said.

Brooks and other church members first started the clothes pantry in 2017 as a means to clean out their own closets and help people at the same time. The pantry had been in a room on an upper floor and has since expanded to the lower level, with racks of all types of clothing for men, women and children.

The selection includes winter coats, pants, sweaters, shirts, scrubs or uniforms, ties, scarves, gloves, purses and lots of shoes.

There are no requirements, with everything free. They're also getting children's books to give away.

"Anybody is welcome to come and pick out clothing they may need," Brooks said.

Donations of clothing still come from the closets of church members or their family or friends, with the Attic providing some children's clothing. No donations are accepted from the general public.

The church had been closed to the public since November when COVID-19 cases increased in Columbiana County, but both the church and pantry reopened last week.

The church has been hosting drive-in services in the south parking lot at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. on Sundays and airing services online since last spring. That's continuing, along with the restarted in-person service/live Facebook service at 10:45 a.m. Sundays.

Brooks said they decided to reopen the free clothes pantry due to community need, noting that people are still out of work or laid off. Flyers about the clothes pantry were being distributed at the Banquet at the Memorial Building. She said each time they find 90 to 100 hangers empty when the pantry is open.

To visit the clothes pantry, park in the north parking lot and enter under the portico, go down the stairs to the lower level to the second door on the left. Brooks also said there is an elevator accessible off of the south parking lot.

mgreier@salemnews.net