Deacons Closet

Background Statement

What is now the Deacons Closet began formally operating at the First Presbyterian Church of Boulder in 1956 and originally focused on collecting and distributing good used or new clothing, especially for children and babies, bedding and nonperishable food. By the 1960s and 1970s Deacons Closet was sending clothing and other goods to nearby Native American reservations and other sites around Colorado. In the 1980s, we began purchasing gloves and other infrequently donated goods to augment the donations and ensure the safety and comfort of our clients during the coldest weather. In 1990, the Deacons Closet was identified as the place to drop clothing in support of a major apartment fire, a practice that has continued through the Marshall Fire and beyond. In the 2010s, we began providing goods to new refugee families in the greater Denver area as well as beginning work alongside many other agencies to expand the services available to our client population – People’s Clinic/Clinica (medical support), Mental Health Partners (mental health support), the Boulder City Attorney’s office (coordinated entry (housing), insurance, identification and legal support) and Hope for the Homeless (laundry and shower support). Today, Deacons Closet is the largest City of Boulder provider of no cost clothing to our most vulnerable and has transitioned into an independent 501(c)(3) organization.