Clothing drive founder finds new leaders to take over worthwhile project
North's Clothes Closet warm-clothing drive, the brainchild of now-Saint Peter High School senior Quinn Rassbach when she was a fourth grader at North Elementary, will have a change in leadership and new name starting this year. Eight years ago, Rassbach saw there was a real need amongst her fellow students at North for warm clothing, so she started a clothing drive with the help of her teacher, Mrs. Landsteiner, to help out and the original North's Clothes Closet was formed.
Collection bins have been set up at SPHS, Saint Peter Middle School, North Elementary, and South Elementary. Donations are now being accepted of clothing items such as clean, new, or gently used clothes, including hats, mittens, snow pants, jackets, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Monetary donations are also accepted, and those proceeds will be used to purchase much-needed clothes. In the past few years, Rassbach and her crew have also been accepting donations such as books, toys, and school supplies.
Rassbach, who will graduate in the spring of 2026 and still helping out this year, is handing over the reins to this worthwhile project to a trio of SPHS freshmen who are eager to keep this project going and carry on the legacy. Those three ninth graders include Anya Stoll, Maya Knutson, and Himalaya Harrison.
“Quinn’s Closet at North has been such a big part of my life. It’s very dear to me and has been the highlight of my November since I was in fourth grade. I’m really excited that the event can continue to help families in St. Peter after I graduate” Rassbach said. “Anya, Himalaya, and Maya are three incredibly responsible, kind students. This year will be bittersweet for me, but I know I’m passing the event on to very capable hands. ”
“I feel very fortunate that’ve I’ve found students who care about Quinn’s Closet at North like I do”
For the new organizers, they hope to continue the good work Quinn has done well into the future!
“This is an opportunity to provide clothes to the people that really need them,” Harrison said. “We really understand this need and we hope to continue the closet with as much passion as Quinn started this event with (when she was in fourth grade)."
In addition to the changing of the guard in leadership, there will also be a changing of the name. From this point forward, the project will officially be called Quinn’s Closet at North as a way to honor Rassbach’s hard work and dedication to this cause for the past eight years.
Donations will be accepted through the end of the school day on Thursday, Nov. 20, and then Quinn’s Closet at North will be open from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, at the North Elementary gym. A group of SPHS student volunteers, including Quinn and the three new organizers, help set up the donated items at the gym for the event where families in need will be able to select warm clothing items for their young ones or other donated items.
“They’ve helped me set my mission in action, and have helped make it possible every year,” Rassbach said about her crew. “I’ve received an abundance of help and support from the St. Peter principals, my friends, parents, teachers, and volunteers every year, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has been part of this journey with me.
"I want to say a special thank you to Mr. Doherty, Mrs. Landsteiner, and my mom for seriously listening to me when I was nine, and making my goal attainable. I couldn’t have done any of this without their guidance.”