After many months of praying to actively be the hands and feet of Christ, husband and wife team Ian and Erika Kanter felt a calling God placed on their hearts to collect clothing and make it freely available to those in need. In July of 2016, they began collecting and sorting clothing, and then distributed the clothing at a Back to School Event in Reading, PA. After the event, it was clear that the need was great. That’s when God provided the vision of the mobile clothing closet.

After placing collection barrels at Morgantown Community Church, they continued to collect and sort clothing, shoes, accessories, blankets, and toiletries in the basement of their home. Each month they would hand out these supplies on the streets in Reading to anyone who needed them. In July of 2017, the mobile clothing closet shell (a silver, 16-foot enclosed trailer) was delivered. While working on outfitting the inside into a large walk in closet for people to shop through, they continued to hand out items, supply things for shelters and safe houses, and pray for provision over their mission.

By May 2018, the interior of the first mobile clothing closet was outfitted and they began parking it at various locations throughout Reading, making it available to anyone in need. As the mobile clothing closet grew, it quickly became apparent that Anchored would no longer fit in the basement, garage, and shed of their home. Through countless prayers and hurdle-jumping, they were greatly blessed with a facility to house Anchored’s operations! On July 4th, 2018, they (with the help of many others) moved into an old, historical, vacant church building in Elverson, PA, where the Anchored Facility continues to be housed and operates.

Since the move, God has continued to bless this organization beyond measure. While many of Anchored’s programs strongly focus on the Twin Valley School District and community (Winter Coat Giveaway, Prom Dress Shop, Christmas Gift Giving Program, Backpacks & More Program), the mobile clothing closets travel throughout Berks, Chester, Lancaster, and Montgomery Counties. In July of 2019, Anchored acquired the very generous donation of two additional trailers: a 16 foot enclosed trailer and a 32 foot enclosed racing trailer, allowing the ministry to expand to two mobile clothing closets with one storage and miscellaneous use. This has doubled the event schedule and allowed them to be an active part of Jesus’s hands and feet in the surrounding areas.

Anchored has multiple teams of dedicated volunteers who love to show the love of Christ through various areas: donation collecting, sorting, stocking, prepping, outreach, events, organizing, and more! The volunteers, both behind the scenes and on the front lines, make the many aspects and programs of Anchored possible. Contact us today for more information, ask questions, or to get involved!

Anchored Ministries