As the winter season grows colder and colder, many AID families are in need of both winter essentials and a pick-me-up. In that spirit, AID is proud to be working on projects like the coat closet and the Angel Tree program in order to spread some extra joy this holiday season.
While ICOM volunteers have been hard at work as well, these programs were born from the generosity of our local community and the hard work of one ICOM volunteer in particular: Patti Klucas.
Volunteer Profile
A lifelong Minneapolis resident, Patti Klucas has been a dedicated ICOM volunteer for around four years.
As she studied theology after retiring from nursing, Patti was determined to live what she learned. She developed an interest in helping immigrants through her work with the St Vincent de Paul Society, where she met an immigrant from Liberia who was deported.
At the same time, a close family member was also detained for deportation, making the issue of immigration personal for her. After being introduced to ICOM at a monthly vigil, she decided to roll up her sleeves and begin volunteering.
Even though she felt limited by a lack of transportation and ability to speak a foreign language, Patti decided to put the extra room she had in her house to good use and began collecting donations of coats and other winter clothes to give to immigrants in need.
“I had all of this space and I thought, ‘All of these people are homeless and need a place to stay, and while I can’t provide that, I could maybe help out with storing things,” she said. “And so I made my basement into a closet!”
After asking members of her community for winter clothing, her call was answered, and she has received more and more donations as she manages ICOM’s third annual coat closet.
With the help of an ICOM intern, Patti developed a spreadsheet and catalogues each coat received, including descriptions and photos. This system allowed her to manage the clothing she had and determine what still is needed.
“I’ve got quite a few kid’s coats, but they go fast, so it’s going to be a continual need,” she said. “As far as men’s and women’s clothes, I’ve got quite a few women’s clothes, but I am very short of men’s clothes right now.”
Although less new families are coming to Minnesota in need of new clothes, the coat closet continues to thrive.
Patti also coordinates ICOM’s Angel Tree program, which works with a local church and community members to provide December gifts to families in need. Although the gifts are distributed at Christmas, it is open to all AID families regardless of faith or tradition. In a spreadsheet similar to that of the coat closet, Patti compiles the ages, interests, and clothing sizes in order to personalize and provide gifts for these families.
Patti’s dedication in collecting these gifts for families in need exemplifies the very passion for giving back that we all should strive to have in our lives. Her willingness to dedicate her space to families and our work demonstrates what we stand for: that helping the community starts with an idea, and acts of kindness grow into coordinated, ongoing programs that benefit those who need it most.