THE GIVING CLOSET

What THE GIVING CLOSET does

The Giving Closet is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 27-3207322) operating a free community store at 2804 A NE 65th Ave, Vancouver, Washington, within Mountain View Plaza. Founded around 2001 by Executive Director Denise Currie, the organization distributes donated clothing for all ages and sizes, shoes, household goods, bedding, linens, toys, household kits, and food items sourced from the Clark County Food Bank to individuals and families in financial need across Clark County. All items are provided at no cost to qualifying shoppers; the organization is run entirely by volunteers and receives donated retail space from Mountain View Plaza, which keeps its operating cost structure minimal. Service is delivered exclusively through in-person visits to the single physical storefront — there is no e-commerce, no digital distribution, and no proprietary technology platform beyond a website designed by EpicDesignLabs (2015) and a Facebook presence used for community announcements.

The business model is donation- and fundraising-driven rather than revenue-generating. Income derives from individual community contributions, recurring corporate sponsorship of events (notably the annual Back to School BASH, which distributed 385 backpacks in 2023 with 11+ partners including Starbucks, Walmart, VANS, Bombas, and PepsiCo), regional fundraising events such as GiveMore24! (with a $100,000 goal in 2020), and affinity donation programs including AmazonSmile and Fred Meyer Community Rewards. Served segments include low-income individuals and families (primary), seniors and adults with disabilities on restricted incomes, and foster youth aged 13-21 served via the dedicated Fostering Fashion Drive program. Distribution is entirely physical and geographically constrained to Clark County, Washington.

There is no proprietary technology, app, or digital product. The organization markets through local media coverage (The Columbian, KGW), Facebook, blog content, and word-of-mouth referrals via community partners such as churches, resource centers, and social service organizations. As a volunteer-led nonprofit without equity, M&A, or venture-funding signals, the entity is not structured for conventional investment growth; its trajectory reflects community service persistence rather than commercial scaling.

Name

THE GIVING CLOSET

Legal name

The Giving Closet

Website

https://givingcloset.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Giving Closet is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a free community store in Vancouver, Washington, distributing donated clothing, household goods, and food to low-income individuals, seniors, disabled adults, and foster youth across Clark County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Clothing and Household Essentials Distribution

NAICS

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)

SIC

Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)

akta.pro primary industry

Closet & Wardrobe Organization (HSAFAAAB)

Keywords

• Free clothing assistance
• Community donation center
• Household goods distribution
• Nonprofit social services
• Clothing bank services

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donated Items: Receives donated clothing, shoes, household goods, bedding, linens, toys, household kits, and food items from the Clark County Food Bank. These donations are sorted, organized, and given away free to qualified individuals and families in need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Giving Closet operates a free community store in Vancouver, Washington, providing donated clothing for all ages and sizes, shoes, household goods, bedding, linens, toys, household kits, and food items from the Clark County Food Bank to qualifying individuals and families in need at no cost. The store is staffed entirely by volunteers and functions as a dignified, boutique-style shopping environment for those who cannot make ends meet due to financial hardship, job loss, or family crisis.

Product overview

The Giving Closet operates as a single, unified offering: a free community store that provides donated clothing and household essentials at no cost to individuals and families in need. The organization does not offer a technology product or platform; rather, it functions as a charitable retail operation where donated items are sorted, organized, and distributed to qualifying shoppers. Its core offering is the Free Community Store, supplemented by community events such as the annual Back to School BASH, volunteer programs, and donation collection services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Community Store
• Back to School BASH Annual Event

Quantifiable outcome

• 385 backpacks given out at 2023 Back to School BASH event

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Starbucks ParkplaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for the Back to School BASH 2023 event, providing support for the annual event that distributes backpacks to children in need in Clark County.
• First Friends ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner supporting the Back to School BASH 2023 event and The Giving Closet's mission to serve Clark County residents in need.
• WillowsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClothing partner that has sponsored a clothing drive benefiting The Giving Closet. Hosted Drive and Drop clothing drive at Willows Boutique location at 104 Grand Blvd, Vancouver, WA 98661.
• Bridgeview Resource CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for Back to School BASH 2023, serving the Clark County community.
• Lifeline ConnectionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner for Back to School BASH 2023 event, supporting those in need in Clark County.
• Goodwill Job ConnectionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Back to School BASH 2023, supporting workforce development and community assistance.
• VANSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for Back to School BASH 2023 event, supporting children in need in Clark County.
• BombasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSock and clothing company partner for Back to School BASH 2023, donating products for children in need.
• PepsiCominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Back to School BASH 2023 event.
• WalmartminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor for Back to School BASH 2023 event supporting Clark County community.
• Living Water ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity faith-based partner for Back to School BASH 2023 event.
• NAMIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Alliance on Mental Illness local affiliate, partner for Back to School BASH 2023.
• AmazonSmileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to The Giving Closet when customers shop at smile.amazon.com. EIN: 27-3207322.
• Fred Meyer Community RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity rewards program where Fred Meyer donates to The Giving Closet based on customer linked rewards card purchases. Non-profit number: 86525. Fred Meyer donates $2.5 million annually to nonprofits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
• Mountain View PlazacoreOthersGenerously donates a portion of their space to The Giving Closet, enabling the organization to keep costs minimal and continue offering free services to the community.
• Clark County Food BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides food items that The Giving Closet distributes to community members in need alongside clothing and household goods.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit operating thrift stores that sell donated clothing and household goods. Directly comparable mission of reusing donated goods to fund community programs, though at vastly larger scale and with paid retail operations.
• The Salvation Army: International nonprofit operating family stores selling donated clothing and household items, with proceeds supporting community assistance programs. Comparable model of distributing/selling donated goods to fund social services.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Catholic nonprofit operating thrift stores and direct assistance programs that distribute clothing and household goods to those in need. Comparable community-store distribution model for donated goods.

Direct peers

• Baby2Baby: Nonprofit distributing clothing, shoes, and basic necessities to children living in poverty. Directly comparable model of free distribution of donated essentials to vulnerable populations.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home furnishing stores selling donated furniture and household goods to fund affordable housing programs. Comparable model of distributing donated household goods through retail-like storefronts.
• Dress for Success: Nonprofit providing professional clothing to individuals in need, particularly women entering the workforce. Closely aligned model of distributing donated clothing free to those facing financial hardship, though with more narrow demographic focus.
• Cradles to Crayons: Nonpartner providing free clothing, shoes, books, and school supplies to children from birth through age 12 living in poverty. Closely aligned model of in-kind donation distribution through a "Giving Factory" approach.
• Hope for the City: Minneapolis-area nonprofit redistributing surplus corporate goods to those in need. Comparable model of redistributing donated/surplus items through organized distribution to community members.

Regional players

• CAAFA (Clark County food bank partners): Regional nonprofit food bank that directly partners with The Giving Closet to provide food items alongside clothing distribution. Operates in the same Clark County service area with an overlapping beneficiary base.
• Northwest Children's Outreach: Pacific Northwest nonprofit distributing clothing and shoes to children in need through partner networks. Comparable in-kind clothing distribution model serving vulnerable youth in similar geographic markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-giving-closet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about THE GIVING CLOSET