Bedford Clothe-A-Child gearing up for the holiday season

BEDFORD – For over 35 years, the City of Bedford has continued to provide clothing to well-deserved children through the Bedford Clothe-A-Child project.

On December 19, 2021, the invited families can come to Walmart in Bedford, where they will be assisted by 80 volunteers in purchasing clothing for their children. Clothes will be used on a daily basis, and are especially needed during the cold winter months.

Clothe-A-Child, as it is known today, is a project that was started many years ago by Bedford and Mitchell Jaycees, a community-minded club of young men. The club discontinued Clothe-A-Child for several years after the Mitchell Jaycees was disbanded.

The program would be brought back and disbanded once again before starting up again as an Exchange Club program. Over the years under the umbrella of Exchange Club, the project expanded the number of children served. Raising money for the project has encompassed many phases.

Today the Clothe a Child is a stand along with nonprofit organization with a board of directors and operates solely to help purchase clothes for primarily North Lawrence County underprivileged children between the ages of 5 and 15.

Denny Underwood has been involved with Clothe-A-Child from the early days and says it is what he is meant to do.

“I was involved with the project from the beginning, it is such an important part of Christmas in our county and an important part of my Christmas,” said Underwood. “To see the kids’ faces when they are allowed to purchase new clothes having a checkbook to buy whatever they want. As long as I am able, I will be involved and there are many others that have come from the beginning just like me.

Contributions for the project can be made to:

Bedford Clothe-A-Child, Inc.
P.O. Box 1510
Bedford, IN 47421

If you know someone who would benefit from this effort or if you need assistance yourself, please reach out to
Dennis Underwood 812-583-0550 with a text, voicemail, or email at underdog53@gmail.com. We will notify each attendee of the time and location they should plan to attend.