Kris Cleary talks to a KFYR news reporter the day of the clothing giveaway. Photos are screenshot from KFYR news video.

McCabe United Methodist Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, recently held its sixth annual free clothing giveaway. The giveaway helps people in the Bismarck community who need clothing. 

"It is allowing us an opportunity to share God's unconditional love. The clothing giveaway is a practical demonstration of that love at work," said Rev. Karl Kroger, McCabe UMC. "We just give things away. There are no strings attached."

Kris Cleary, the coordinator of the clothing giveaway, says this originally started because church members wanted to donate clothes and didn't have a place to give them. 

"I just watched when the United Women in Faith, formerly United Methodist Women, bizarre happened every year. They accept everything except clothing. So many people were like, 'I really
would like to donate clothing.' I looked around our neighborhood where our church is and thought, can't we be the vehicle where clothing can be donated? We can give it to the people who live nearby," said Cleary.

The neighborhood surrounding McCabe UMC has several apartment complexes and aging rental homes where people struggling with economics live. It is a neighborhood with limited retail options and lots of need.

Members of the congregation and community members bring clothes, shoes, coats, and accessories to the church. Then, a massive sorting takes place. The youth group at McCabe helps to sort clothes for men, women, and children. Tables are piled high in the church building and hauled to the parking lot. 

Early in the morning, the giveaway starts on a Saturday—breakfast items—donuts, and juice are made available for shoppers. More than 200 hotdogs with chips, drinks, and cookies were served at noon. 

"We used to have it in the church and set up tables in the Great Hall. When the pandemic happened, we moved outside. We have remained outside because it is too large to be indoors. My husband Rich has been an integral part of all of this. He had the great idea of providing lunch to the people who came. So, it's been hot dogs that we've provided the last few years, and now we have some breakfast items," said Kris.

Rev. Lou Whitmer, McCabe UMC, worked with the planning committee. "It was very exciting to see the whole thing unfolding. It is a massive undertaking that benefits people in the community," said Pastor Lou. 

The event has a transformative effect on those who participate. Many shoppers who initially came seeking assistance have become volunteers, eager to give back and support their neighbors. This transformation exemplifies the power of community building and the idea that we often receive far more when we give selflessly.

Hotdogs are served to shoppers for lunch.

"Our biggest mission here is just to build community. We love visiting with the people, and I think what's been really fun over the years is a lot of our shoppers become volunteers. Some of our shoppers came before we started in the morning and wanted to carry tables. It's great community building. We get a lot more than we give," said Cleary.

New this year was food bag giveaways. Each bag had items for one meal. Items included chicken alfredo meal kit, canned chicken, fruit, vegetables, and pudding.

Kris finds the giveaway fuels her soul. "For me and many others who help with the event, it feeds my soul. You never know where God is going to lead you. We had one woman who came in. We were not even done setting up. It was two days before the giveaway. We just told her, 'Sure, you can shop today.' She told us her story. Her husband had passed away two weeks ago. She's a single parent with five kids at home, and two of her children are already out of the house. She's just trying to do this all by herself. She really loved the conversations. She even wanted some hugs," shared Kris.

Cleary estimates that about 300 large boxes or bags of items were distributed to shoppers this year. Next year, Cleary says she wants to continue building on their volunteer base, from people who don't attend church at McCabe to anyone who wants to participate.

"It's pretty energy-giving for us. We see so many good things coming out of it. If you get one person's story saying this really meant something to me, that's worth it. One person is worth it to me and God," said Kris. 

When the clothing giveaway comes to an end, items are boxed up. Some are stored for the following year. Most items are donated to a local thrift store. 

"It is a popular event with growing participation. We have seen partnership and support from the community growing," said Pastor Karl. "The clothing giveaway is an entry point to serve—a place where volunteers and shoppers experience God's grace. People are becoming more aware of the needs in our community. Volunteers or those serving are blessed to experience the shoppers helping or giving back."