We recently connected with Cecilia Kolbash and have shared our conversation below.

Cecilia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I founded Cecilia’s Community Closet to repurpose donated clothing for underserved students in the Rome, Georgia area. This mission started when I joined Berry College’s Entrepreneurship program and had the opportunity to start a business. I have always had a passion for fashion, as I say, and I have always strived to create and innovate things that help others. When I came to Rome I was coming from the South West suburbs of Chicago; I saw that there was a need in the Rome community, especially among students and I wanted to create something that helped a community in need. So I pitched the idea of Cecilia’s Community Closet and showed everyone how my mission would work. There are numerous families below the poverty line in Rome, and the thrift stores aren’t always accessible for students to get to, and they don’t have the trendiest clothes. I took these stressors among students and created my nonprofit. I receive donated clothing items from the community, family and friends, and then I repurpose them and directly bring them to students in the Rome community by partnering with various organizations. I then set up “shops” using clothing racks, mirrors and folding tables and allow the students to pick items out at no cost to them. I want everyone to be able to have the opportunity to wear comfortable clothing that suits their personal style, but without the burdens of cost or transportation.

Cecilia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Cecilia Kolbash. I am second year student at Berry College, with a double major in Creative Technologies and Public Relations. I also have a minor in Social Entrepreneurship and am a part of the Sullivan Fellows and Scholars program. I also work three other jobs on campus where I do undergraduate research in exercise science, marketing, and represent the Office of Admissions as a Berry College Ambassador. Along with all of this I am the founder of Cecilia’s Community Closet. I founded my nonprofit at the age of 19 in the summer of 2022. I found a love for entrepreneurship in my childhood when I side businesses here and there, and always wanted to do lemonade stands and bake sales. When I joined Berry College I had the opportunity to start a business. I decided to start a nonprofit that provides services to lower income students in the Rome, Georgia area. I repurpose donated clothing and directly bring them to organizations that help serve lower income students and I set up shops where the kids can pick out items at no cost to them. My nonprofit alives the stressors surrounding transportation and cost for lower income students. I also seek trendier items to donate to the students that meet the needs of multiple fashion styles. My nonprofit is set aside from other nonprofits because I directly bring the clothing to students at no cost and seek trendier clothing items to repurpose and use. I am most proud of establishing this nonprofit at the age of 19 and also seeking a need in the community and being able to be the change I wish to see in the world. Helping others is so important to me, and even when I was little I gave back some of the profits from my smaller businesses to the community and for the food pantry. I want people to know that every business idea I have is never solely for profit. It is always to help fill a need in the community and use my kindness to build the community.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I chose this question because I dearly love my business partner. I met her going in to college. Her name is Rayne Herring. She is my roommate in College and has done nothing but help and support me along all my journeys. When I told her about my nonprofit idea she was nothing less than supportive and has gone to all my pitches, and even stood by me at events, and filled in for me in times when I couldn’t be there. I knew Rayne would be the perfect partner for any business I create because we balance each other out. She strives in place where I sometimes fall and vice versa. Rayne also does a lot of my social media marketing because that is here niche, and a lot of the time it is not mine. I enjoy photography and taking the content but she brings it to life. She is not only my roommate and my business partner but she is also my best friend. And she has continually helped and supported Cecilia’s Community Closet and my other business ideas, and has played a huge role in making this happen.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

My entire life I have been an extremely independent person, and I have always been a go-getter. I never wanted help from everyone, and I am the type of person that even if I don’t know how to do it, I will figure it out on my own. Whether it was school, work, hobbies, or something else, I always wanted to do it by myself and figure it out. I tried to do this when I started my nonprofit. I fell face forward and realized I couldn’t do this on my own. It took a lot of courage to be able to let my pride go and ask others around me for help. But when I did I was relieved and it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I had to learn the lesson of its okay to ask for help, and unlearn the lessons of being super independent and that it is better to figure things out on your own. Because that is not always the case and I am so forever grateful that I asked for help because I wouldn’t be where I was today without that support.

Contact Info:

• Website: ceciliascommunitycloset.org
• Instagram: ceciliascommunitycloset
• Facebook: ceciliascommunitycloset
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/cecilia-kolbash