Clothing bank moves
to city-owned building
Organization seeks donations for entry ramp
By James Tilson
Staff writer
Nov. 16, 2017
MANTI—The Resource Clothing Bank in Manti is moving into a bigger building. Having outgrown its current digs at the office of the old sewing plant, the clothing bank will move into a building just to the north. The City of Manti, which owns both buildings, has approved the move and is updating the electrical system.
After clean up and the electrical work, all that is needed for move-in is a new ramp for the front entrance. The entrance to the building is very steep, slanted, and has several different levels. The ramp will have to be wheelchair accessible and safe.
Structural engineer Keith Steuer from Taylorsville has offered to design the ramp. Hampton’s Brothers Construction of Draper has volunteered to send two carpenters to build the ramp.
Nancy Bean, who started the Resource Clothing Bank in her garage more than five years ago, estimates that it will take about $3,000 to complete the ramp. She and her helper, Darcie Dickinson, have started going to all the Sanpete city councils to ask for donations. They have raised about half of the money they need.
They also have two fundraisers for local citizens to donate to the cause. The Dollar Drive is for anyone who has benefitted from the clothing bank to donate a dollar. The Buy A Board fundraiser allows someone to have their name placed on one of the ramp boards for a $10 donation.
Bean started the Clothing Resource Bank when she worked with the Central Utah Counseling Center as their Family Resource Facilitator. She would help families find resources and support within Sanpete County. She gathered clothing donations for those families, and soon was swamped. Bean opened the donations to the public, and the Clothing Resource Bank was born.
At first, Bean used her garage to store the clothes. After two years that no longer worked and the bank moved to its current location in Manti. Now the bank has outgrown its location once again.
Bean received the enthusiastic support of Manti City to use the much larger shipping area of the building, and even agreed to update the electrical and lights. The only requirement (besides building a new ramp) was to get liability insurance. The insurance has been provided by Utah Foster Care.
Besides providing free clothes for those who need them, the Resource Clothing Bank has been involved in many other acts of charity. For example:
– last winter, 38 new children’s coats were donated and distributed.
– Laura and Lee Cox of Manti donated a large trailer to the bank, which they have used to store winter coats through the warm months and to display the coats during the winter.
– their Back to School Super Saturday in August brought in more than 50 families from all over Sanpete County, where they gave away 120 new backpacks, new shoes, socks, and underwear, as well as some school supplies.
– Manti Humanitarian Center provided the bank with hygiene and newborn kits to be given away to new families.
– clothes were sent to the flood victims of the hurricanes in Houston and Louisiana.
– clothes have been provided to immigrant workers from Syria, Mexico, and the Polynesian Islands.
There are no income guidelines for who may use the bank. All are welcome, and Bean explains that if anyone feels uncomfortable about using the bank, she tells them that they can volunteer their time, too.
Donations may be dropped off during their open hours, or can be mailed to The Resource Clothing Bank c/o Nancy Bean, 64 West 300 South, Manti, UT, 84642. If people want to Buy A Board, Bean asks that they print the name to be put on the board. Buy A Board donations may also be taken to Bryan Spencer at Intermountain Home Care, 130 North Main, Mt Pleasant (Mon. through Fri. afternoons), Denise Shand, 288 North Main, Manti, or Jensen’s Dept. Store in Manti.
