Inspiration sometimes strikes at unusual times.

For Amy Jones, a military spouse and owner of The Closet, a consignment clothing store in Oak Harbor, it struck in the middle of the night three months ago.

“At about 2 o’clock in the morning I had this inspiration and created the page “The Heart of Giving” (on Facebook) to help meet people’s needs,” Jones said. “I’ve been here 10 years and I just wanted to do something to bless the community.”

In three months, membership has grown to more than 450 people. The response has been so tremendous that Jones has planned the organization’s first public event — a clothing swap to be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Oak Harbor Christian School on Whidbey Avenue. Jones’ friend, Amy Hannold, who has organized a similar clothing swap for the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary, is helping with this event as well.

“Once The Heart of Giving page got going, we saw the need for clothing,” Hannold said. “We need professional clothing, warm clothes, even summer clothing for those who are being transferred to a warmer climate.”

Jones and Hannold said their garages were full of things people donated for the free clothing swap. They had no place to stage it all, so the VFW Ladies Auxiliary has allowed them to use their storage unit from PODS Northwest, which let them keep the pod until the end of the month. Hannold said the school has also been an invaluable help.

“The Christian school has gotten behind this in a big way,” she said. “They’ve provided the location and all the tables to make the swap happen.”

Anyone interested in donating clothes and “shopping” for new-to-them clothing and accessories is invited to bring clean, wearable clothing to the Oak Harbor Christian School during the swap hours Saturday. But people are welcome to shop whether they have brought items to donate or not. Volunteers will sort donations and put them out as soon as possible. There will be clothing available for maternity, children, infants, teens, women and men, plus accessories, to swap. No money will change hands.

Heart for service

One thing that has surprised both Jones and Hannold about The Heart of Giving page is the variety of needs that are being posted and how quickly they’re being met.

“We had a post from a family that was moving here and didn’t have anything for their house,” Jones said. “By the time they got here, their house was fully furnished.”

Other services are also sought and provided through The Heart of Giving. Members have provided meals, clothing alterations, child care and more to one another. Sub-groups have formed as well — there’s one for people to trade movies and a support group has formed for parents with special needs children. But not all needs are physical or financial.

“It’s a place to connect with other people,” said Jones. “Some people will say they just need to talk.”

“I’ve never seen this anywhere,” said Jessica Snyder, who moved to Oak Harbor with her sister’s family at the end of August. She’s been looking for a job and was in The Closet Monday picking up a pair of slacks someone had “blessed” her with to wear for an interview. “It’s such a blessing to know there are complete strangers out there who are willing to give.”

“They’re not asking for money and it’s good quality stuff,” agreed Snyder’s sister, Carie Halstead, whose husband, Jamies, is an Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class.

Erica Porter, who was dropping off clothing for the swap, said she likes the group because it’s not about just asking for things.

“I like the fact that people are stepping up,” she said. “They’re not just asking for things — they’re donating as well.”

“This is a kind of 21st century Freecycle with a heart,” Hannold said. “It’s really interesting to see how people are meeting other people and also meeting a need.”

Heart to grow

Already there are other heart of giving groups springing up. There’s one in Anacortes, in Skagit County, Klammath Falls, Ore., Alexandria, La. and Jacksonville, Fla. Since the majority of the members are military, according to Jones, The Heart of Giving is a group that can travel with them from duty station to duty station.

“It’s building a network of people who are looking out for you,” said Hannold. “When you’re moving to a new community, that can be invaluable. I anticipate as people move with the military, this will move with them.”

Jones knows that only too well. After 10 years at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, her husband, Richard, is being transferred to Virginia. She plans to take The Heart of Giving with her.

“I just see it’s going to be big,” she said, adding that she’s in the process of creating a website, and hopes to find a location that can serve as a clearing house and staging areas for donated items when she gets to Virginia. She’s certain she will be able to carry on the momentum her middle-of-the-night idea has brought.

“It’s all the way around meeting needs,” she said. “Somebody’s getting blessed all day.”