LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) — At the age of 14, a local teenager started a nonprofit that donates new clothes to foster children. Five years later, the organization has helped thousands of children and is only growing.

In 2017, Nijel Murray was 14 when his parents took in a young boy for a year. His belongings were thrown into a garbage bag.

“With him he had a ragged bag containing all his things and in that bag his things were either too big for him or too small and it was obvious he didn’t want to wear the clothes that were in the bag. inside that bag. And you could tell he didn’t have a lot of confidence,” Murray said.

Since school was the next day, her parents went to buy new clothes that evening.

“After my parents got back, he started trying on these clothes and he instantly lit up… instantly had more confidence. You could tell that now that he had clothes he wanted to wear, he was a brand new boy, so I kind of noticed that transition,” Murray said.

Murray learned that this was a big problem for other foster children. He applied for the “a world for change” scholarship where he pitched his idea for Klothes 4 Kids and was awarded $1,500. $500 went to his school, $500 went to college, and the remaining $500 he used to register Klothes 4 Kids as a nonprofit.

A few months later, he turned his 15th birthday into a community clothing drive.

“When I started Klothes 4 Kids, I would never expect in a million years to be in the position I am today… Klothes 4 Kids has blessed me in so many other ways” , Murray said.

In 2021, Murray was featured in People magazine. Earlier this year, Murray and his mother Shon, the organization’s director, were guests on the Kelly Clarkson Show.

In March, the organization opened its first facility. A one-stop-shop where staff can fill each gym bag with new clothes, toiletries and blankets. Their stock includes clothes for babies up to 18 years old. They also give teens the option to choose the items they want.

Last week, the Las Vegas Aces donated clothing and basketballs to the cause.

“Thinking back, it was just an initial idea in my head, but here we help thousands of kids a year, have a whole facility…doing things like partnering with the Aces, so it’s truly a blessing,” Murray said. .

So far, Klothes 4 Kids has helped over 4,000 adoptive children in Southern Nevada.

Murray hopes to one day expand Klothes 4 Kids to all states.

He is a freshman at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

For more information on Klothes 4 Kids, visit their website here or follow their work on Instagram.

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