Leonard, Texas -- It is something of a family tradition at seven-year-old Palmer's house. Every year she invites her mom, Taylor, to help her sort through clothes, shoes, and toys to find the things that no longer fit or get played with, and donates them to help others. But this year was different.
"This year, I got the call — she wanted me to help," recalls Palmer's grandmother, Kim. "I was honored. We sat on her closet floor, carefully sorting through outfits and shoes that no longer fit, and giving extra-tight hugs to her once-favorite stuffed animals — saying goodbye with love, knowing that some little girl out there, who has less, might adore them just as much."
Every colorful pair of shoes, every loveable stuffed animal brought back precious memories, but when they bagged everything up and dropped it off at Goodwill, Taylor and Kim watched the bags get tossed to the side of the pavement without much thought before employees moved on to the next car.
"It kind of stung...it felt like our things meant nothing," Kim says quietly.
Then, just a week later, Kim and Taylor saw two different posts on local Facebook mom groups — moms asking for exactly the kinds of things they had just donated -- the same items, even the same sizes. In that moment, an idea began taking shape.
"Taylor and I talked," Kim said. "What if we had given those bags directly to the moms who actually needed them — for free? At Goodwill, even donated items come with a price tag. Sometimes these moms have to choose between groceries and clothes for their children, something they should never have to choose between."
It's a feeling that Kim remembers all too well.
"I grew up with a single mom raising four kids," she explains. "Money was tight. Clothes were often too small or too worn. I saw those moms in those posts, and I felt their hearts. Asking for help isn’t easy — especially when people judge you for needing it."
Kim began doing a little research.
"I did some digging and found out that only about 14% of what’s donated to Goodwill and Salvation Army actually stays in the stores," she reveals. "The rest? It’s either tossed or shipped overseas — often for profit. That didn’t sit right with us."
So, Taylor and Kim did a little brainstorming.
What if we created something that kept donations in our community, they wondered? A place where gently used children’s clothes and shoes could go straight to local families, at no cost. That’s how Palmer’s Closet was born.
It is not a new concept because there are several organizations that have altered the for-profit thrift store concept in order to give to families for free. Church clothes closets are a wonderful example.
To Kim and Taylor, this was about more than clothes and toys.
"We wanted our space to be more of a boutique feel with a shopping experience that is one of grace and dignity.... not a handout," Kim says.
Their goal was simple. To collect the kids’ clothes, shoes, and infant necessities that would normally end up at big donation centers — and instead, give them directly to families who need them right here in their community. No price tag. Just community helping community in a setting that was not only dignified, but also fun.
"We especially want to support foster families — especially those who get emergency placements and don’t have anything in the right size," Kim points out. "That part hits home for me, too. I was in the foster system, and later served as a CASA in Fannin County, so I know how important it is to show up with support for these children, and provide them with something that fits."
This all started as the annual ritual to clean out Palmer's closet (literally), but it’s growing into something so much bigger.
"When a community comes together, amazing things happen and we have seen it even before we officially opened," remarks Kim. "We have supported four moms locally with things they needed for their children."
Palmer's Closet held its official ribbon cutting at 311 US-69 Suite 106, in Leonard, TX 75452 this past Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Since everyone (except Palmer!) has full/part-time jobs, Palmer's Closet operates by appointment only.
"We coordinate and help families that are referred to us from our referral partners or those that seek assistance on our FB or FB groups," Kim notes. "We meet the families at our little space and they get to gather the things they need for their children. Instead of collecting the clothes for them and handing them a bag (some clothes closets operate this way), we allow them to gather the things for their children... they know their children's likes and dislikes...what would fit and not fit, etc."
Kim and Taylor are grateful for the community support they are receiving and both are quick to point out that Palmer's Closet wouldn't exist if it wasn't for individual donors and local donor companies - they simply wouldn't have the clothes, diapers/wipes or a welcoming space to offer families a moment of grace in a difficult time.
Major donors include JNL Roofing Contractors, SignWerks, First United Bank - Leonard, FSK Equipment & Supply, and St. James Collectables and Gifts.
And to think it all started with a grandmother sitting beside her precious granddaughter on her closet floor, and deciding that they could make the world around them a better place.
To learn more about Palmer's Closet, please visit https://www.palmerscloset.com, call/text: 430-440-0063
or email: palmerscloset25@gmail.com
