On Saturday, Sept. 9, the Aldergrove-based Clothes2U giveaway marked it’s 21st year with a ‘Back In School’ event at St. Dunstan’s Anglican Church in Aldergrove.
Clothes for babies to adults, toys, diapers/incontinence items, linens, personal and smaller household things were free, with an entry fee of $4, and kids 10 and younger were admitted without charge.
What started as an offshoot of a single parents group launched by Aldergrove’s Ernie Jantzen, to distribute baby clothes to people in need, has grown considerably since the first Clothes2U was held in the parking lot of Nicomekl Elementary School in Langley in partnership with Home Church Langley.
Clothes2U, now in its 21st year of giveaways, was at St. Dunstan's church in Aldergrove on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/L1FwzKweDB
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) September 9, 2023
“This is 21 years, we’ve been doing this,” Jantzen, 72, told the Langley Advance Times.
“First one was Sept. 7, 2002.”
Now, giveaways are held in Surrey, Mission, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack as well as Langley, with clothing for adults and other necessities available.
“The response has been ever-increasing in popularity,” Jantzen said, as more people learn about the giveaway.
“People are like, oh I didn’t know this existed.”
Jantzen had wondered about the impact of the Langley Good Times Cruise-In, underway just down the street from the church, but the event didn’t appear to have much impact on the giveaway, in terms of turnout. About 50 families dropped by.
“It [Cruise-In] didn’t help it, it didn’t hinder it,” Jantzen summarized.
More Clothes2U events are planned for Surrey, White Rock, and Chilliwack in the weeks ahead, with a detailed schedule available online at the clothes2u.ca website.
“Almost Christmas,” the next event in the Langley area, is set for Saturday, Nov. 18, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Fort Langley Lions Club Hall, at 23022 88th Ave.
For more information, to volunteer, or to learn about other upcoming drives, call 604-857-4617 or email clothes2u2002@gmail.com.
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