Our Story

Who We Are

Community Closet is the operating program of One Foot Forward Inc., a Napa based nonprofit organized for charitable purposes. Our mission is simple: to provide free clothing to individuals and families in need, regardless of their ability to give anything in return, and to create a welcoming space where our community can connect with dignity and respect.

Our Story

Community Closet started by accident. It began as a simple community swap. The idea was small: bring neighbors together to trade the things they no longer needed and keep good items out of the landfill. But at our very first swap, something became clear. The need in our community was so much bigger than a swap. People were not just looking to trade. Many were going without.

So we said, let us do it again next month. And in the weeks in between, the picture kept growing. The more we paid attention, the more we saw how many of our neighbors were going unserved, and how vast that need truly was. What started as a way to reduce waste had shown us something we could not unsee. That is when Community Closet was born.

Why "One Foot Forward"

Our name is our belief. No matter what you are facing, you can always start over with one step in the right direction. Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter the circumstances. Sometimes moving forward just takes one foot placed in front of the other, and a community willing to walk alongside you.

Where We Are Going

Our vision is to tie our community together, connecting people with the resources they need while keeping good clothing out of our landfills. We want a Napa where no neighbor has to choose between dignity and a warm coat, and where a well loved jacket gets a second life instead of a landfill.

Where it starts: donations sorted by hand before every pop up.