About TC

What IS Taylor’s Closet?

Lindsay Giambattista began praying about an outreach – some sort of ministry she could participate in – some way to utilize her unique gifts for God’s glory. Besides being an A-student, Lindsay was/is an avid shopper.

So after considerable prayer and debate, the idea was born. Taylor’s Closet would allow girls in foster care to come into a store-like environment and “shop” for whatever clothes they liked – completely free of charge. The idea was just to put a smile on their face for a moment and let them know they weren’t alone.

Taylor’s Closet had its first outreach in early December, 2005. We set up a mini “shop” on the salon-deck of a large yacht in the Pompano Beach Holiday Boat Parade and invited girls from local foster care programs to come by and shop. There were some 30 girls on the cruise that night who were blessed with new clothes, and a handful of parents, kids and program administrators who got to see the love of Christ in action as well.

Since then we’ve seen God bless this ministry in some huge and wonderful ways. In December of 2006, we opened our first permanent “store” for foster girls. Several local businesses have put aside their business agendas to come alongside and help out. One in particular, RCC, designed and paid for the cost to build the store. We’ve had clothing donations from all over the world.

Who We Are (the team)

Lindsay Giambattista
Lindsay is the founder of Taylor’s Closet. In 2005, she started the ministry with the intent of simply giving of her own clothes to girls in need. But soon found out her intention and more had been on Gods heart for quite a while.  Lindsay just recently graduated from high school.   She will be spending the next year in an apprenticeship with Don Jones to design her own clothing line.    She will continue her work as founder and Operations Director of Taylor’s Closet while attending design school.

Linda Giambattista
Linda serves as director of Taylor’s Closet, but, more importantly is Lindsay’s mother. Her background is in the retail industry, where she worked for such companies as Guess Watches, Liz Claiborne, Calvin Klein, and Fossil. Linda gave up her career 5 years ago when God called her to home school Lindsay and Justin. She shares the vision and the burden that Lindsay does for providing hope and love to girls in need.

The Staff
We have an outstanding group of girls that serve on our Staff. These girls do a variety of different jobs. Without their volunteered efforts we would not be able to run Taylors Closet at this point. They were each chosen because they share in our vision to provide hope and love to girls in need. They have all become close friends to Lindsay and our family, and every girl has a deep relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, our staff works regularly alongside our other volunteers in the store to minister to the girls that visit Taylor’s Closet.

The Staff consists of:

* Mike Giambattista – President
* Linda Giambattista – Executive Director
* Lindsay Giambattista – Founder/Store Operations
* Keresia Lawes – Grant Writer
* Cynthia Sauer – Outreach Coordinator/Backstock Manager
* Shannon Reed – Designer/Artist
* Meghan Burke – StoryTellers Coordinator
* Christine Ringue – Volunteer Coordinator
* Shannon Adams – Development Coordinator
* Teresa Cook – Cafe Manager
* Jackie Alpren – Administrative Assistant
* Marie Mazzeo – Bookkeeper

Our Vision

To bring the love of Jesus to girls in need, throughout this country and the world, by providing places for them to shop for clothes – for free.

Our Mission

To build a worldwide community of people and companies who will give of themselves in order to care for girls in need.

To create a network of “stores” where these girls can come in and feel safe, where they can feel special, and where they can encounter the love of Jesus in that place.

To facilitate and empower these “stores” so that they can focus on their primary mission, which is to love-on, and minister-to, every girl who comes there.

Core Values

* We believe that Jesus has a love and a divine purpose for girls in foster care, and girls in need, in general.
* We believe God has called us to use shopping as a vehicle to bring them into contact with Him.
* We believe that every city where foster kids live is an ideal place to demonstrate God’s deep love for them through Taylor’s Closet.