Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaitlyn Stock.
Hi Kaitlyn, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Kaitlyn’s Kloset started in 2012, when I bought a stroller at a garage sale. I was 13 years old at the time, and had no idea why I felt compelled to buy this stroller, but it was a good deal, so I bought it and wheeled it all the way home. My parents thought I had lost my mind at that point, and my mom called up a friend to tell her what was going on. Little did we know though, that the next day her friend would call her back, telling her about a foster family she was working with (she was a social worker) who was getting a baby the next day and had nothing for the baby. Without a second thought, I told her that I would be happy to donate the stroller to that family. It was then, that I began to realize there was a need in the community that I could try and help fill.
Throughout the next year, I spent my free time babysitting to save up money so I could turn around and buy gently used children’s items to donate to local organizations in the community. Quickly though, I realized that I didn’t even have to buy those items, and that people were happy to donate items to me. My family and I would take trailer loads time after time and drop things off at other organizations. Then, in December of 2015, thanks to a friend who helped me realize we could connect with families directly instead of using other organizations as middle-man, we created the Facebook group Kaitlyn’s Kloset – MN.
Our Facebook group grew and grew, and quickly our basement, garage, and even our neighbor’s garage were filled with baby and children’s items. My family and I were working as fast as possible to take in items as donations, and get them back out into the community to families that needed them. The next several years flew by, and before I knew it, it was November of 2021. The friend that had helped me and pushed me to start Kaitlyn’s Kloset passed away suddenly, and it was that very day I looked my mom in the eye and told her, “We have to do this.” as I explained how we needed to open up a resource center, because it was what that friend and I had always dreamed Kaitlyn’s Kloset would become. So, we got right to work, filing paperwork, reaching out to potential spaces, and trying to navigate the world of opening a real resource center and having Kaitlyn’s Kloset become a real non-profit organization.
And we did it. We became an official non-profit organization, and opened a resource center. It’s a place where people can come and shop (for free) in a store-like model for baby and children’s items/clothing, as well as things like food and personal care items. It also serves as a place for people to come and just hang out in a safe place, or meet with myself, a social worker, to talk about outside resource referrals. It was a long road to get here, but now at 23 years old, looking back at how everything started 10 years ago, it really is incredible.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were many obstacles I faced while on the road to creating Kaitlyn’s Kloset – MN. I would say one of the biggest obstacles was self-doubt. My parents were so supportive of my dreams and aspirations, but there were many times I doubted myself and wondered if my dreams were even possible to achieve, especially at such a young age.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Kaitlyn’s Kloset – MN?
Kaitlyn’s Kloset – MN provides a welcoming space for all people. In a world where asking for help or receiving help can be a very emotional process, we pride ourselves in making sure everyone is welcomed and applauded for coming in. As an organization, one thing that sets us apart from other places, is that we have no requirements to receiving help, including no financial requirements. At Kaitlyn’s Kloset, we believe you know your situation best, and if you come to us telling us that you need help, all we are there to do is help you, not question your finances, family structure, living situation, etc.
Each person that walks through the doors of Kaitlyn’s Kloset is able to go into our shopping area and shop (for free) for things like children’s clothes and shoes, baby items, and food. There is no cost involved, and it is a self-shop model so the community member is able to pick out exactly what items they would like.
What matters most to you?
The thing that matters most to me is decreasing the stigma around asking for, and receiving help. So often in my work, people come in and tell me they are embarrassed, ashamed, or scared to ask for help or receive help, and when they tell me that, the only thing I respond with is; “It’s a very brave thing to ask for help.” Nobody should ever be scared to ask for help, or feel ashamed or embarrassed about it. I have seen people from all walks of life receive help from Kaitlyn’s Kloset, and it shows that you truly never know what someone is going through. I do this work to try and show my community that we all need a helping hand at some point, and that one of the bravest things you can do is to ask for help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sites.google.com/view/kaitlynskloset-mn/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaitlynsklosetmn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaitlynsklosetmn
