ORLANDO, Fla. — 9 Family Connection is thrilled to team up with Goodwill for a significant summer food drive with Annabel’s Closet, bringing the community together to help those in need.
The summer food drive with Goodwill that starts this Sunday, June 1 and runs through June 22.
“We typically walk into bare floors in apartments and our goal is to make it look like your house -- so beds and dressers, sofas, coffee tables, dining room sets,” said Lori Hutchinson, founder of Annabel’s Closet.
Annabel’s Closet is a non-profit that Hutchinson started in 2015. Inspired by her faith and trauma, she said she was called to act and to act quickly.
Hutchinson continues, “From the time I get the referral, we can be in, and everything from here can be loaded into the truck by a separate group of volunteers. We can take it to the property within two weeks.”
Anyone can help with this effort by decluttering their closets and pantries, and then dropping off donations at Goodwill stores in Orange or Seminole County. Hutchinson says every donation does more than just put food on the table; it keeps families out of harm’s way.
“For them to be able to take the stuff to get out on their own, but if you cannot take care of your family, you’re gonna end up going back to the abuser because it’s easier to take a beating and know what you’re going through and be able to put food on the table then not to be able to take care of your children,” Hutchinson says.
She continues, “So the goal is to keep them in that safe place that they’ve been able to secure, and the only way to do that is to give them everything that they need.”
Since starting in 2015, Annabel’s Closet has helped over 700 families.
This year, they’re on target to help 60 families.
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