With over 2,000 children in Rapid City living below the poverty level, area churches are reaching out with the love of Christ in a very tangible way by providing families in need new school clothes for the start of the school year.

In 2005 Love INC coordinated 29 churches and over 1,200 church volunteers to help 700 children with new clothes for the start of school.

History

2003 We started planning in May/June to clothe 40 children. In August we had helped 97 children with 9 churches participating.

2004 20 churches helped clothe 240 kids. Clothes were distributed at Bethel Assembly of God with 10 churches participating in a Children’s Ministry Fair.

2005 30 churches helped clothe 700 children between Clothe-A-Kid and Bethel Assembly’s Children’s Clothes Closet. Clothes were distributed at the Mother Butler Center with 20 churches participating in a Children’s Ministry Fair.

2006  In Rapid City 35 churches helped clothe 1,000 children with the distribution and Kid’s Fair at the Civic Center. In Spearfish, 8 churches helped nearly 115 children with new school clothes.

2007  In Rapid City 35 churches helped clothe 1,057 children with 100 Middle School students shopping one-on-one with church volunteers at the Rushmore Mall, a major distribution and Kid’s Fair at the Civic Center helping over 700 children, and a smaller Kid's Fair helping 250 children in September. In Spearfish, 8 churches helped 84 children with new school clothes.

2008  In Rapid City 40 churches helped clothed 1175 children, again 100 of those got to go shopping with a volunteer through our Middle School Shopper program at the Rushmore Mall. Our Kid's Fair at the Civic Center had an "Under the Sea" theme and fun was had by all who attended.

2009 In Rapid City 42 churches helped to clothe 813 children, our Middle School Shopper students number increased to 150 this year. The Kid's Fair was held at Bethel Assembly's North Point Center with a "Western" Theme. The Nothern Hills helped 207 children and expanded their territory to include the cities of Belle Fourche and Sturgis. 

The Clothes

All the clothes are purchased brand-new by a church volunteer specifically for that child.  On average the volunteers spend $60 per child. Each child receives:

1 jacket or sweatshirt

1 pair of pants

2 shirts

1 package of socks

1 package of underwear