Sacred Heart Community Closet responds to increased need

By KATIE BORKOWSKI
Special to Lumen Media
 
The Manning Sacred Heart Community Closet has consistently been serving the community since 2022. In November 2025, the closet served 94 individuals, compared to 40 served six months earlier during May 2025. Sacred Heart is part of the St. Rose of Lima Parish, based in Denison.

The community closet is available to anyone, no matter their financial situation, noted Melanie Enenbach, the director of the closet. Recently, when SNAP benefits were in limbo, Enenbach noted she “saw a huge surge of people coming in.” Other reasons for the increase include changes in seasons and changes in family circumstances. 

Former closet director Ember Muhlbauer volunteers at the closet and pointed out the number of families utilizing the Sacred Heart Community Closet has more than doubled in the past year, and “demand for the food pantry continues to rise as well.” 

“With inflation affecting everything from groceries and transportation to clothing and housing, the need for support services is likely to continue increasing in the coming years,” she said. “Many families in the district have felt the strain, some more significantly than others. A large portion of the families seeking assistance in 2025 are new users, which shows that the need is broadening.” 

Month (2025)	# served
May	40
June	39
July	67
August	56
September	58
October	66
November	94
December	78

With efforts to raise awareness, Mulbauer said families are accessing the closet “who only recently found themselves needing this kind of support.”

 “I feel like there's a wide variety of households and families in this town anywhere from the upper class down into poverty level that that live here,” said Enenbach. “Whether people recognize it or not, even people with jobs still struggle to provide for their families. I have never turned away someone that has called and asked for help, regardless of where they're from.”  

The organization keeps the names of clients and their needs confidential. 

“There is no paperwork to fill out and oftentimes I don’t even ask the name of the client who's coming to utilize this resource,” said Enenbach.

Background
The Sacred Heart Community Closet opened for its first appointment on March 21, 2022. 

“We recognized a growing need within our school district - many students lacked appropriate winter clothing, shoes, or seasonal essentials,” said Muhlbauer. “At the same time, we noticed more families relying on the school’s food pantry.”

With some unused space available in the Sacred Heart Church rectory, it was decided to create a resource that could better support families in the community. The rectory also serves multiple purposes, including hosting high school Catholic Youth Organization activities, a small Bible study and occasionally providing sleeping space for Father Michael Cronin, pastor.

“The community closet originally occupied just one bedroom of the rectory, but the need grew quickly, and it soon expanded into three additional rooms,” said Muhlbauer. “When we opened, we anticipated helping one, maybe two, families a month. I never imagined that within just nine months in 2022, the community closet would serve 420 individuals. The need was far greater than we realized.”

She is thankful that families view the closet “as a safe, confidential resource that helps ensure their loved ones have what they need. As Catholics, we are called to love our neighbor, and being able to do so in such a tangible way has been an extraordinary blessing.”

Muhlbauer is grateful for the support of the parish and the many volunteers who have helped serve these families since the closet opened.

Due to the physical demands of lifting and moving bags and totes, Muhlbauer said she could not continue to manage the closet.

“The time commitment had increased to a level that I was no longer able to manage as a volunteer on my own as well,” she said. “It was devastating to think we might have to close the doors, but Melanie was truly an answered prayer.”

Enenbach, a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Church, became director in May 2025. 
“When Ember first started it, I remember having a conversation with her and part of me was a little envious of her that she got to start something like that because I thought it was so interesting and something I would love to take part in,” said Enenbach. “When she was looking for someone else, that same year was my last year of teaching CCD. I had decided there has to be something else in church that I can give my time to.”

Muhlbauer’s involvement is now minimal. She greets clients and assists them when Enenbach is unavailable. She also coordinates the high school youth group’s volunteer efforts at the Sacred Heart Community Closet, sorting clothing and helping stock shelves and racks a couple of times a year. 

“Beyond that, Melanie has completely taken the lead,” said Muhlbauer. “Since (she) stepped in to continue this work, the closet has grown even more. Her dedication and work ethic are truly unmatched. She is doing amazing, impactful work for the people of our community on behalf of the church. Her compassion and leadership are true gifts, and I believe God placed her in this role at exactly the right time.”

Communicating the need
Through parish bulletin announcements and Facebook posts the director raises awareness of the resource to those who could use assistance. When she needs certain items for the closet, she posts the specifics on Facebook or in the bulletin to to encourage contributions.
Not only does the community closet provide clothing, shoes, coats, hats and gloves, they also offer toiletries, basic household items, dish soap, laundry soap, etc. On occasion or if requested, Enenbach also has items such as bath and kitchen towels, bedding including sheets and blankets.

“I've had some special requests for things like kitchen essentials for someone moving out of a bad situation, moving to a place on their own, and they basically have nothing to put in their place,” said Enenbach. “If someone comes to me, and I'm able to find them what they need, I have been trying to accommodate those requests as well.” 

Community assistance
Clothing and coat drives are held a few times a year when community members donate items to the community closet on a designated day.

The community closet partners with the Catholic Daughters of America chapter at Sacred Heart in Manning for Undie Sunday. Donations of new socks and underwear are requested for the closet.

This year during the Advent and Christmas seasons, Enenbach explained, the closet partnered with the confirmation class (eighth grade students) and the church’s CYO (high school youth group) to offer the Tree of Blessings with ornaments listing needed items for the closet.

At the end of July, the closet holds a garage sale that includes clothing and shoes as well as backpacks, school supplies and Wolves gear, which is the IKM-Manning School mascot.
The closet also sets up at both IKM-Manning School locations during Parent-Teacher Conferences to offer free coats, snowpants and boots. This is provided for anyone who “may feel uncomfortable coming to the community closet or may not have transportation if they live in a different town in our district,” the director said. 

To contact Enenbach about the community closet’s services or to make a donation, call or text her at (712) 292-6864. More information can also be found on the Sacred Heart Community Closet Facebook page.

Katie Borkowski is a freelance writer from rural Carroll County, attending Manning Sacred Heart Church, St. Rose of Lima Parish.

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