BEMIDJI -- Northwest Technical College recently opened the NTC Closet, a free store for the campus community to donate or find lightly used household items and clothing.
Located in NTC’s student lounge, The Roost, and supported through donations from students, faculty, staff and the United Way of Bemidji Area , the closet is open to all currently enrolled students during regular business hours throughout the school year.
After the opening of the NTC Food Pantry in 2020 to address food insecurity among students, the NTC Student Senate partnered with the Student Success Center to provide more support in the form of a free store.
“Our hope is students will help themselves to the winter coats, household items, hygienic items and everything else we have for them to take as they need,” Student Senate President Wyatt Miller said in a release.
Following Bemidji State’s Free Store model , the NTC Closet aims to have students save money from buying new products and prevent other items from ending up in landfills.
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“This is just another way we hope to make an impact for our students,” Student Success Center Director Tyler Peterson said in the release, regarding the cost savings and environmental impacts of the closet.
BSU’s Free Store has donated 1,650 binders, 1,715 books, 3,650 kitchen items, 1,625 pairs of pants, 365 suits and 460 winter clothing items to students since its creation in 2010.
All campus members are welcome to donate clean, functional items including books, clothing, electronics, folders, non-perishable food, notebooks, kitchenware, printers, shoes and winter apparel.
