Karen Davis, a long-time entrepreneur and barber/hairstylist for over 35 years, is the founder and executive director of Ms. Karen’s Community Closet, a 501(c)3 charity based in Denton County. The journey began over 12 years ago when she started donating school supplies for students and purchasing clothes and shoes for single moms and dads at her hair salon in Lewisville. Karen’s salon clients jumped on board, and before long, an abundance of donations from the community came pouring in, necessitating she purchase a storage unit. When the pandemic hit, she began receiving new and gently used furniture, household items, and appliances.
In March of 2022, Ms. Karen’s Community Closet (MKCC) became a nonprofit, joining the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce within a few months. Today, the nonprofit receives new and gently used clothes, shoes, coats, school supplies, Christmas toys, household items, medical supplies, appliances, furniture, and more from the community, business owners, nonprofits, churches, and other groups—100 percent of which the organization donates to underserved families in the community. The organization has outgrown several storage units since the pandemic and is currently in need of a larger storage space to house the essential items that she receives weekly for Denton County residents.
As Ms. Karen’s Community Closet celebrates its fourth anniversary, Karen credits her amazing mentors, who vigorously supported her, for the success of her mission, including Ms. Phylis Stromile, “Inspiring Lives" founder Tre Williams, and Mrs. Alice Robinson, who helped Karen set up her nonprofit free of charge. She also praises her dedicated volunteers who help her live out her mission, and her board and team, whom she says are the real heroes. The organization’s motto is: “Awesome People! Helping Awesome People!”
Karen reflects on the beginning with a smile as she says, “It was all in the plan. Divine appointments and divine connections.”
Karen’s heart to serve stems from the love she received as a child being raised by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Supporting the elderly and hurting families are the focus of support from her nonprofit. In addition to its ongoing donations to those in need in the community, the nonprofit provided clothes and shoes to families affected by house fires in Balch Springs and honored six ladies who survived breast cancer, homelessness, and domestic violence at MKCC’s first gala in 2022. Ms. Karen’s Community Closet also hosts an annual back-to-school school supplies giveaway and an annual Christmas toy giveaway, which many area businesses, partners, and friends support with donations. She adds that the annual blanket donations Ms. Karen’s Community Closet gives to senior citizens in the community is a great time of sharing for her volunteers, who are able to attend and donate at this event.
“The love and support from my community of friends and from everyone is inspiring, and it shows how important it is to keep your eyes focused on what matters,” says Karen. “Our great partnerships with businesses, organizations, groups, nonprofits, churches, schools, etcetera are key in making our community better.”
In June of 2023, Ms. Karen’s Community Closet was featured in VoyageDallas magazine, and in May of 2025, Karen received the Champion of Change “Hidden Gem” in Denton County award from the Deltas Sorority of Denton County. Her hair salon also received a B.A.G. grant of $1,000 from the Flower Mound Women in Business Organization for a salon makeover in the fall of 2025.
To learn more about how you can volunteer or donate to Ms. Karen’s Community Closet, contact Karen Davis at karenat7@yahoo.com or 469.500.3290.