BUFFALO, N.Y. — The coronavirus shutdown forced many organization and agencies who help others to close, including the Ken-Ton Closet. Now that they have a safety plan in place, they're accepting donations again and getting ready to reopen.
The Ken-Ton Closet is a volunteer-run non-profit that provides clothing, toiletries and school supplies to kids in the Village of Kenmore and the Town of Tonawanda. It's been operated for seven years out of the Jefferson School building in the Town of Tonwanda.
The Closet is considered an emergency service, and despite the need throughout the community, they made the decision to close in March to protect their volunteers and the families they serve. Now, they're gearing up to reopen in less than two weeks, and have started collecting curbside donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Executive Director and Founder Jill O'Malley said they're taking steps to protect the donors, volunteers and families they serve.
"We are segregating the donations, so what we got on Tuesday is isolated in a certain spot so the it's safe to sort for Friday and what we collected today is in another room," O'Malley told 2 On Your Side. "Then we'll sort those donations next week just to be safe. Of course our donations wear gloves and whatnot but just to make sure those donations are safe to go through."
O'Malley said the donations are especially helpful because many places where they would normally collect throughout the community are still closed. The Closet is especially in need of current boys and girls clothes, underwear and school supplies.
The next curbside donation date is Thursday, May 28 from 9 am - 11 am.
For more up-to-the-moment details, follow the Ken-Ton Closet on Facebook.