Textile Exchange

Youth Run Community Item Exchange

Textile Exchange is a storefront run entirely on donations from the community, with no price tags in sight. Textile Exchange began in Karma Kafé after the youth put out a request for donations in order to furnish the café. They were entirely unprepared for the outpour of support from the community, and received far more than what they needed to create a cozy seating area inside of Karma. They decided instead to use the additional items to create the textile exchange, where all items for sale are pay what you can. This way, anyone can take something they need with no pressure to pay a specific amount for it. Donations have continued to roll in ever since the café opened, and eventually there were so many items that it was clear they would need a separate building for the exchange. A generous local business owner gifted the youth with a building to run Textile Exchange out of, as he saw their vision and knew this was an important cause. Now, Textile Exchange is located at 27 Main St, Templeman, a two room building where anyone can shop for clothes, shoes, work uniforms, household goods, toys, games, baby essentials, and more.

The Seniors Corner

The seniors corner is a sitting area within Textile Exchange meant to create a connection between two generations of people. Seniors are welcome to come simply to and chat with youth, or to work on projects such as knitting, quilting, and embroidery.

Providing for the Community

Since the creation of Textile Exchange, the initiative has been able to furnish 22 homes within the gander loop. In the beginning, they focused on assisting single parents, but now have helped all manner of families put together their new homes, including seniors, fixed-income families, and those with small children. Anyone in need of assistance is welcome to reach out at: