In addition to regular shopping trips to the Care Closet @ NKU, students are welcome to attend all programs and events throughout the year! We offer 1-2 programs per month.
We hope to see you there!
Winterfest
Warm up your winter at Winterfest! We’ll have cold-weather essentials and cozy finds to help you start the new year right.
January 15th, 2026 | SU
Valentine's Thrift Pop-Up
Shop a curated collection of date night fits, reds, pinks, and all you could need for Valentines, Galentines, or Palentines!
February 10, 2026 | UC 142
Retro Refresh
Partnership with SOTA, Steely Stego Studio, & APB! Create, sew, develop new patterns, iron-on patches, make something new!
March 26, 2026 | Steely 300
What Were You Wearing with NVP
Visit this amazing art exhibit, created to challenge the victim-blaming mentality and myth that survivors provoke perpetrators with their clothing choices and/or behavior. The reality is that survivors are never to blame. Clothing provided by Care Closet @ NKU, exhibit designed by S. Rodriguez in SOTA.
April 2, 2026 | SU 3rd floor
UCAP and Gown Pick-Up Starts!
Graduating associate and bachelor-level students were invited to participate in the UCAP and Gown program in mid-February. By mid-March, all available gowns had been reserved!
Those who registered for the program & met with UCAP/CC can come pick up their borrowed gown from UCAP in UC 120 April 20-May 1.
UCAP & Gown Return Deadline
Over 120 students requested gowns. Students who borrow gowns must return them by the week following graduation, with the deadline of May 15th. A $50 charge is incurred for any unreturned gowns.
Gowns can be returned to Steely Library 3rd floor front desk, the Rec Center front desk, UCAP in UC 120, or the Care Closet @ NKU in UC 142.
Students were invited to tie dye a Care Closet-branded reusable canvas shopping bag during the Fresh Fusion event on August 15th. We spoke with hundreds of students, with 50 students opting to tie-dye Care Closet @ NKU-branded totes, saving about $250, before the rain shut down the event!
Our 2nd annual #NorseUp for Norse Swag event on August 21st was another huge hit! We saw over 150 students who were each invited to take 1-2 free items of NKU clothing to help build their Norse wardrobe!
We hosted our 2nd annual Dress to Impress event with Dress for Success Cincinnati and together we offered students two, complete curated outfits. This event ran parallel to Career Service's bi-annual event, Prep Fest. We served 52 students who took home over 780 items, saving students almost $8,000.
On September 23rd on the Student Union Plaza, we partnered with FUEL NKU in our 2nd annual collaborative pop-up event! Students were invited to browse selected clothing items and snag some great produce. We saw over 128 students and 90 items were taken home, saving students $900!
We participated in the annual Wellness Resource Fair on October 2nd from 10am-2pm on the SU Plaza and saw over 40 students. Students were invited to grab some fun CC swag and browse our available clothing options, then go and visit the other tables to learn about the varying offices who help support our students' different dimensions of wellness.
40 students joined us on October 20th for a fun and sustainable shopping experience right here on campus, where students were invited to browse a curated selection of free clothing and accessories. Students saved $400!
Look Good. Feel Good. Thrive Boldly.
Over 100 students joined us in celebrating the season of gratitude with our Friendsgiving Pop-Up on November 24th from 5-7pm in the SU Ballroom! We partnered with FUEL NKU and offered cozy fall apparel and warm winter coats, saving students an estimated $2,560!
Over 100 students joined us for our 3rd annual Sweata Weatha event on December 3rd outside the Care Closet in the UC 1st floor lobby! Students took home almost 400 sweaters, saving an estimated $3750!
83 graduating students registered for the UCAP and Gown program to borrow a gown at no cost. In total, this saved students over $4,150! This is a marked increase from FA24 - 32 additional students participated this FA25 due to new and unique marketing efforts.
Jammy Jam Game Night
From Jan 21st to the 23rd, we helped over 150 students!
Winter Fest
Winter Fest was a blast! We saw over 100 students and provided over 200 items of warm weather clothing at this fun event!
Groovy Splash Bag Bash
Add a pop of color to your shopping routine by creating a rad, reusable bag with some tie-dye magic with the Care Closet! These reusable bags can be used on your next shopping trip! Join us outside the 1st floor of the University Center under the bridge from 1:30-4pm (or until supplies are gone!)
TRANSform Your Style
This event presents an exciting chance for students to discover distinctive fashion options while championing sustainability. Bring your gently worn clothing items to exchange for something new and showcase your personal style. There will also be additional pieces available for browsing. Not only will you revitalize your wardrobe, but you'll also engage with a welcoming community that values individuality and inclusivity. Come join us for a Friday filled with fashion, fun, and friendship on March 21st from 4-6pm in UC 135!
Retro Refresh
Breathe new life into a beloved classic! Give your clothing a second chance to shine and help save the planet while you're at it. Upcycle your way to unique, eco-friendly style. Care Closet @ NKU is partnering with SOTA to help you learn new ways to upcycle - bring items from your own wardrobe or find new styles in the Care Closet @ NKU! Meet us in UC 135 on April 23rd from 1:30-4pm to celebrate Earth Day!
UCAP & Gown Program
In collaboration with UCAP and the Office of Special Events, the Care Closet @ NKU is now overseeing the UCAP and Gown program. Starting February 24th, spring 2025 graduates are invited to register to borrow a graduation gown by clicking here. Registered students will be added to a UCAP campaign to meet with a member of the UCAP team to sign their contract and discuss financial literacy, plans after graduation, and alumni perks!
#NorseUp for NKU Spirit Wear
In August, over 200 students attended the new student Victor Fest pop-up event and went home with over 500 vintage, new, and lightly used NKU spirit wear items donated by the NKU campus community! We were out of supplies before we were even halfway through the event!
Dress to Impress
In September, this event helped over 60 students by providing two curated professional outfits to wear for career fairs, interviews, and in their future career! Femme clothing was donated by Dress for Success Cincinnati and masc/non-binary clothing came from the Care Closet @ NKU and Brighton Center. Career Services offered resume and career search support.
UNV 101 Pop-Up for Major-Minor Fair
In October, all UNV 101 classes, in preparation for the annual Major-Minor Fair, visited the Care Closet @ NKU to find the right outfit to make the best impression on the faculty & staff within their chosen program!
Friendsgiving Pop-Up
In November, at this year's annual Friendsgiving event, we saw over 100 students and provided over 300 items of winter clothing. Additionally, the Newport Care Closet attended the event and provided every student with candles and lotion from Bath and Body Works!
Sweata Weatha Pop-Up
In December, we collected study sweaters, ugly sweaters, holiday sweaters, napping sweaters, play in the snow sweaters, and cute date night sweaters. Whatever our students needed them for, we had it, with the help of our sponsor, Newport CARE Closet! Over 80 students attended this annual event and took home a total of over 325 sweaters!
In the Fall 2024 semester, over 500 students attended programming with the Care Closet @ NKU and they took home over 1800 items of FREE clothing! If items were marked at thrift store prices, we would have saved students over $15,000 in collective clothing costs. These numbers don't even include traditional daily visitors to the Care Closet @ NKU!
