Susie’s Closet, a local non-profit, is in desperate need of donations after struggling this year with players spending less money at charitable bingo. 

In 2011, Courtney Halger and her family started the organization as a way to honor a friend who was deeply involved in the community, but died of breast cancer. 

Susie’s Closet was doing well and helping many of Lubbock’s needy and homeless. 

“We don’t realize how many homeless people Lubbock has until they are coming in saying ‘We are cold’  or ‘We are hungry,'” Halger said. “So,  we try to do things like that in the winter, but right now we have nothing.”

Last year, Susie’s Closet moved into a new building and the new space helped cut back on operating costs. The group was optimistic. They said the helped more than 1,600 people with food and clothing, handed out more than 500 backpacks to area school children and were able to help pay utility bills.

Halger said this year all of their resources declined.

“There was just no funds whatsoever coming in,” Halger said.

Most of the money for Susie’s Closet  comes from profits from MLK Bingo on Parkway Drive. But Halger said the business is heavily regulated by the state and they pay a lot of money in taxes. Last year, Halger said they paid about $300,000. Some area businesses don’t have the same restrictions and that’s taking away business. 

“Unfortunately, right now as charitable bingo we are fighting something bigger than all of us,” Halger said. “We are fighting illegal game rooms here in town and we can’t pay out what they are paying out. So every person that comes in and plays bingo the money that they are spending goes straight to these charities.”
 
Susie’s Closet is accepting donations of food, clothing, household appliances and money. They can be dropped off at their location at 1701 Parkway Drive.