Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Scullion.
Hi Angela , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was a teacher first. That’s where this all began.
I started noticing my students were stuffing their backpacks with whatever was left from their free school breakfast and lunch — and then asking if they could also have snacks from my classroom closet. I never had a problem sharing, but it made me stop and wonder: why were they still so hungry?
So. I started asking questions, doing a little listening between the lines. And what I found broke my heart — some of these kids were going home to empty cabinets. Siblings with no free meals. No dinner. No food on the weekends. Nothing stable.
That realization stuck with me. It lit a fire. What started as slipping a few extra snacks into backpacks turned into weekend food bags, packed with care and delivered in a way that protects their dignity.
Now, we serve families in our community with meals, hygiene items, and essentials — making sure no child has to wonder if they’ll eat this weekend. It’s built on love, trust, and a whole lot of community heart.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a road full of heart, but also full of hurdles.
In the early days, I was juggling everything — work, motherhood (I have two children of my own), gathering donations, storing food and packing bags. But then, something rare and wonderful happened: our school principal offered us a closet on campus to store food and supplies. That kind of space is hard to come by in public schools, where every square inch is spoken for — and having it meant the world. It gave The Care Closet a real home base and let us serve families more efficiently and discreetly.
Even with that gift, there were still plenty of challenges. I had no background in nonprofit work, no funding, and no idea how fast the need would grow. I’ve learned everything on the fly! The hardest lesson was learning to ask for help!
The emotional toll has been real, too. That’s why we made The Care Closet completely anonymous — to protect our students’ dignity, yes, but also to protect my heart. When you’re this close to the need, you carry every story, every face, every hunger pain. And some days, that weight is heavy.
But what keeps me going is knowing we’re filling a need that absolutely no child should have to ask for. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been worth it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Care Closet, Inc?
The Care Closet is a grassroots nonprofit based right here in Lake County, Florida. We specialize in providing weekend food bags, hygiene items, and household essentials directly to students in need — quietly, consistently, and with a whole lot of love.
What makes us different? For one, we’re entirely anonymous. Kids never have to line up, ask, or feel singled out. Bags are delivered directly to their classroom door — no questions, no paperwork, just quiet care. That dignity-first approach is something we’re fiercely proud of. And we don’t just provide 2–4 small meals for one student — we serve what we call our Anchor students, and they receive enough food to feed their entire family over the weekend. It’s a bigger lift, but it’s what’s needed, and we’re proud to meet that need head-on.
We also run small and personal on purpose. There’s no big overhead, no corporate fluff — just a local mom (that’s me!) and a whole lot of generous hearts in this community doing what they can with what they have. We serve around 16-20 families weekly, with numbers often growing around school breaks and holidays. Everything we do is rooted in compassion, access, and a deep belief that no child should have to carry the burden of hunger.
Brand-wise, we’re proud of being approachable and real — we’ve built trust through transparency, storytelling, and a front-porch style voice that feels like home. We’re not a huge organization, but we’re hugely consistent. Our families know they can count on us, and that’s something we don’t take lightly.
What I want folks to know most? This work isn’t about charity — it’s about community. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors. We’re not just filling bags; we’re filling gaps. And every donated item, every dollar, and every shared post brings us one step closer to a world where no child has to go without.
Any big plans?
Right now, we’re rooted in one school, but our vision reaches far beyond. We’re working toward expanding into more schools across Lake County — because we know the need is everywhere. There are kids in classrooms all over this county who quietly go without, and we want to make sure every one of them has what they need to thrive.
One of our biggest goals on the horizon? A Care Closet summer food bus. We’re dreaming of a colorful, welcoming delivery bus stocked with food, hygiene items, and summer supplies — ready to roll into neighborhoods where school meals disappear once the year ends.
We know there are summer food programs out there — and they’re doing great work — but the truth is, many families simply can’t get to them. Transportation, work schedules, and access barriers get in the way. That’s why we want to take the food to them. To meet families right where they are, in the neighborhoods they call home, with dignity and consistency.
We’re also so proud to have partners like Kroger, who’ve already stepped up in a big way to support our mission. Their recent donations helped us provide hundreds of meals, and partnerships like that are how we scale this work with integrity and heart.
At the end of the day, The Care Closet is — and always will be — about community. About neighbors helping neighbors. And as we look ahead, we’re not just planning to grow… we’re planning to show up even louder, even brighter, and with even more care.
Contact Info:
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/TheCareClosetFL
- Other: https://linktr.ee/TheCareClosetFL
Image Credits
Angela Scullion
Lake County Sheriff’s Office
