What started as a simple giveaway of Rita Stauffer’s extra clothes and housewares has grown so much that it may need a new, long-term home.

Every Monday, Darlene Rummel and a team of volunteers set up racks and tables of clothes and household goods in the basement of First Church of the Brethren in Ligonier Township

Everything on display is free for the taking for those in need.

The ministry known as Rita’s Closet began three years ago when Rita Stauffer, a member of the church, was downsizing and offered her belongings to fellow parishioners.

Rummel, 61, of Ligonier Borough, said she made an announcement to the congregation about Stauffer’s items, and shortly after pitched the idea to carry the mission forward.

“We get to know people … because they come in almost every week,” Rummel said. “We build friendships with them, and they’ll tell us they’re going through something.”

The ministry is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Mondays in the fellowship hall, and volunteer Bob Lanz said between 50 and 60 people come in every Monday.

Yet it didn’t start out serving so many people.

Rummel said she remembers the first person who entered Rita’s Closet — Julie Knupp — who still comes each week.

Knupp, 38, of Ligonier Borough, recalled the depressing days during the height of the coronavirus pandemic when she was losing hours at work.

Now a housekeeper, Knupp said seeing items available for free boosted her spirits.

“I was very grateful and very shocked (by) how much stuff there was that I needed for my household,” she said.

Since then, Knupp tries to go around once a month to see the new available items as the seasons change. She’s noticed a busier atmosphere, with more donations.

“The economy’s in bad shape, so it helps everyone out,” she said. “It means a lot. It means that there’s a lot of good people out there.”

Knupp specifically mentioned the Christmas room, which has ornaments, decorations and gifts available for those in need.

“They even had a Christmas bear there the first time I went,” Knupp said. “I still have it.”

Knupp said Rita’s Closet is a stress reliever, as those who come in are encouraged to grab bags to fill and indulge in the cookies and coffee that are always available. The volunteers make you feel like family, she said.

“The biggest impact is getting the clothes that my family needs,” Knupp said. “You don’t need to feel like you don’t need to go get free stuff — I don’t think anyone should feel like they shouldn’t go. … It’s a good thing.”

Rummel said the ministry spread by word of mouth at first and has since expanded through social media.

Weekly setup

Lanz, 71, of Ligonier Township, said setup on Monday takes about two hours. The racks of clothes and other items are moved and bagged each week from storage in church.

“I’m the muscle,” Lanz said, laughing.

When he’s not helping to set up and tear down, he’s there to carry in and carry out donations.

“We greet them,” Lanz said. “It’s important that we greet them and try to get to know them.”

Patty Olivas and Dalona Leonard are among 18 or so volunteers who help Rita’s Closet run.

Olivas, 54, of Ligonier Township, started volunteering about a year ago.

“It gets me away from my mind wandering everywhere, you know,” Olivas said. “So it’s actually I look forward to Mondays.”

Church member Leonard, 94, of Ligonier Borough, has been volunteering for a year and a half.

“Most of them are very appreciative,” she said. “We’ve had people call, and they brought stuff at night — carloads of stuff.”

Donations are now coming from multiple counties, Lanz said, and people come to Rita’s Closet from as far out as Ohio.

“We never run short,” Lanz said of donations. “It just makes them feel like they’re contributing to something — maybe even greater than themselves.”

Any overflow that’s not donated to the Salvation Army is taken to Derry Area High School for a free ministry for their students, according to Lanz, so all donations get distributed in some way.

“It seems like I always think of it as a river,” Rummel said. “The river of things come in and the river of things go out.”

Leaving a legacy

Rummel said she’s known Rita Stauffer since Rummel was around 6 years old, as Stauffer and Rummel’s mom were friends.

Stauffer, 95, now lives in Woodbridge, Va. Her son, Rich Stauffer, said he thinks the ministry is incredible.

“My mom was in a nursing facility; she was selling her house,” Rich said of his mom’s initial donation to parishioners. “Darlene and my mom went up to her house from the assisted living facility to get some clothes to donate.”

Rita said she was surprised and excited by the ministry’s growth. She spent her life doing things for other people, her son said, recalling how, at around 89 or 90 years old, she would help drive people who were younger than her to doctor’s appointments.

“It’s a pretty cool legacy for my mom, and it’s really nice that Darlene would think of my mom when she started that,” Rich said. “I really think that that’s something that my mom should be proud of and we as her kids should be proud of as well.”

Since Rita’s Closet is only able to be open Monday, and there’s been an increase in donations and need, the volunteers said they’re looking for a building to house the ministry.

Rummel said she’s seen Rita’s Closet help get many locals back on their feet, including people experiencing homelessness and single moms.

“We really need … a miracle — somebody to say, ‘Hey, I got an empty building here, and you guys can use it.’”

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