Designing Dignified Access: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of Carrie’s Closet, a Mobile Clothing Closet

Background: According to the 2021 American Community Survey, Georgia has the 14th-highest poverty rate in the United States, underscoring the need for effective community interventions that improve access to essential resources such as housing, food, and clothing.

In response, organizations are seeking more efficient and impactful distribution strategies. This study examines how factors such as weather, time of day, gender, and location influence resource distribution outcomes. Using Carrie’s Closet of Georgia—a mobile clothing closet serving the Columbus and Metro Atlanta areas—as a case study, this research identifies conditions that optimize service delivery, challenges assumptions about community service accessibility and trust, and highlights best practices for community-based interventions.

Methods: Data was collected through a community-based partnership with a public school, a HUD housing complex, and a local church located between Columbus and Atlanta, Georgia. Carrie’s Closet collaborated with these partner sites to host Pop-Up Shops, where free clothing and hygiene products were distributed to individuals in need.

At each event, staff recorded participant demographics and contextual variables, including age, gender, time of day, day of the week, and weather conditions. These data were securely stored by both Carrie’s Closet and site personnel. Quantitative analysis was conducted using regression modeling to identify which factors significantly influenced the effectiveness of resource distribution, measured by uptake and demand patterns.

To complement the quantitative analysis, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with representatives from partner organizations. These interviews will be analyzed thematically to generate qualitative insights into best practices and opportunities for improving community-based service delivery.

Results: Preliminary findings indicate that events held in school-based or child-centered and other indoor settings, particularly on weekday mornings, are associated with higher levels of resource distribution. Favorable weather conditions, defined as warmer seasons (spring, summer, and early fall) and the absence of precipitation, were also associated with increased participation and distribution outcomes. Across all partner sites, qualitative themes consistently emphasize the importance of collaboration, dignity, and organizational capacity in facilitating effective service delivery.

Implication: Findings suggest that traditional vendor-style approaches to distributing essential resources such as food, clothing, and hygiene products, particularly when offered at inconsistent or provider-convenient times, may be limited in both impact and sustainability. These models often lack a person-centered framework and may not adequately account for the structural and situational barriers experienced by individuals facing poverty.

Importantly, these findings also challenge conventional reliance on church-based distribution models, prompting critical examination of whether such settings consistently promote accessibility, dignity, and psychological safety for all participants and what are more effective options.

Implications for community social work practice include the need to design service delivery models that prioritize accessibility, consistency, and client dignity. Future research should examine how different service environments influence individuals’ willingness to seek support, including whether faith-based institutions or public facilities (e.g., schools or hospitals) foster greater perceptions of safety, trust, and confidentiality. Understanding these dynamics is critical for developing more effective, community-responsive interventions.