Who are we?
We are advocates. We are connectors. Founded in 2018 by foster and adoptive Mommas, Our Village Closet is a 501(c)3 non-profit based out of central Sonoma County, CA. After years of being involved in the foster care/adoptive community, we felt a need to help youth and caregivers affected by early trauma and foster care with basic, ongoing, no cost essentials (clothing, shoes, school supplies, toys, baby items, equipment etc.). In addition to these essentials, we learned just how much it takes a village to support the youth and caregivers we serve. Our team works to build resiliency in the families affected by trauma by lending support and helping connect foster youth and caregivers with relevant support and supplies in the county.
What is our non-profit status?
Our Village Closet is a 501(c)3 and we’re pretty excited about it! That means your donations are tax-deductible.
Who does Our Village Closet serve? Who is eligible?
Our mission is to improve outcomes for those affected by foster care and child welfare. So we provide necessary materials and support to youth and caregivers impacted by the foster care system. As such, we ask that you are a licensed Resource(Foster) Parent, Kinship or Relative Caregiver, Case worker, CASA, reunifying biological parent, former foster youth, or current youth in care to place a request form with Our Village Closet. We have an annual Eligibility Form we ask all clients to fill out at the beginning of each year. Please note, we may ask for proof of eligibility upon submission.
Why do I hear people say “OVC” when talking about Our Village Closet?
OVC is simply our abbreviation for Our Village Closet.
Where are we located?
Our Village Resource Center is located at 905 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95401. We are open Mondays (1-5 pm), Wednesdays (1-7 pm), and Thursdays (9 am-1 pm).
When you arrive, parking is behind the “big white church” (St. Luke) which is on the corner of Mendocino Ave. and Denton Way. Parking is accessed from Denton Way- pull in and park past the first basketball hoop please. We can help you unload with our trusty OVC cart. :O) Walk past the cute little preschool and follow the “Our Village Closet” signs on the building up the looooong sidewalk, to the last door on the right. We will be there to connect with you!
How can I shop or request items?
You can stop by our Resource Center on Mondays (1-5 pm) & Wednesdays (1-7 pm), or Thursdays (9 am-1 pm) to “shop” for your needs! We still ask visitors to wear a mask inside if experiencing any symptoms, and use our hand sanitizer, being mindful of physical distancing as well. We have children in our care that are medically complex and fragile, and sometimes they are at the Resource Center with us.
Fill out this form to get started. We strive to respond to requests in the order they are received and ASAP, within 3 days if at all possible. We are a small, largely volunteer-run organization, and are grateful for your patience as we navigate these times with you. If your request is URGENT, please note that on the form. We will do our best to accommodate you in a timely manner. Thank you.
Can I shop for myself if I am taking care of youth in foster care?
What can I shop for and does it cost anything?*
Our services and supplies are FREE for those who are eligible. You can shop for whatever you may need related to care, comfort and nurturing of your own care (current and former foster youth) or youth in your care. We try to keep our Resource Center stocked with relevant essentials and regular request while having a range of revolving items for ages 0-25 years old.
What donations do you accept?
We are grateful and humbled for the support we have received from the community over the last four years in the form of item donations, time, and money. Our village has grown recently and the generosity is both humbling and inspiring! We cannot do what we do without the community support we receive.
If you want to make a monetary donation, head on over to our Support Our Village page or hit the blue Donate button at the top right of this page. We thank you!
If you want to donate in-kind items, please follow these guidelines:
We are currently accepting:
Girls’ clothing sizes 3T-7/8, Boys’ clothing sizes 24 months -5, NEW shoes – all sizes, NEW underwear, bumbo seats, pajamas (ALL AGES), nightlights, bath toys, bath soap, umbrella strollers
** Please, do not donate items that are broken or that don’t work properly, are missing parts, or are ripped, torn, or stained. **These are items we can not use and result in additional fees for us to dispose of them.
We also ask that you message us first with photos if donating larger or bulk items.
******WE CAN ALWAYS ACCEPT NEW ITEMS******
I want to help! How can I volunteer? Who can volunteer?
Anyone who is cleared through Our Village Closet can volunteer as long as they are able to sort, organize and hang items, do quality checks of donated items, clean and label, etc.
We are looking for some core volunteers willing to offer their time “staffing” our Resource Center during open hours: Mondays (1-5 pm), Wednesdays (1-7 pm), and Thursdays (9 am-1 pm). We are also looking to have help from a few able-bodied volunteers willing to pick up donations around the county and drop off items that need to be re-donated elsewhere. And then there is laundry! We ALWAYS have laundry to grab, wash, and return…and we sure do love our Laundry Angels! (Press Democrat article linked)
Fill out this Volunteer form to get started.
You can contact us via email at info@ourvillagecloset.org to inquire about current and upcoming volunteer opportunities.
I am interested in becoming a Resource Family (Foster Parent). Where do I start?
Get ready for a LOT of paperwork and stretchmarks covering your heart! We are so glad you asked. Start by going to a virtual informational session from Raise a Child. Register for upcoming informational meeting HERE.
