Green Bay East High School Caring Closet

Vital Stats

Katie F

Green Bay, WI

  • people helped415
  • People Doing It 70

The Problem

As students of the Green Bay East High School community, we frequently witness firsthand that not all of our classmates have equal opportunity. Things such as clothing, school supplies and personal hygiene items are taken for granted by most students entering school on any given day. Recognizing this need we recently created a Caring Closet at East High School to provide products to our homeless students or students in financial need. At East High School 54 percent of our students are on free lunch with all fees waived. It is often taken for granted, but many of these students do not have their basic food, clothing and personal hygiene necessities met.

Plan of Action

We have restored a private and secure room in the lower level of East High that we now proudly call the Green Bay East High School Caring Closet. As we begin to stock this room we are reaching to organizations within our reach to sustain the Caring Closet. We began stocking the room in March and are now looking for more options to complete the closet and stock it fully for the 2010-2011 school year. In August we will begin to shop for back to school backpacks for as many students as we can provide for in hopes of getting the school year started the right way.

Project Updates

Caring Closet Update: One Year and over 300 Students Have Been Helped
One year ago, on April 20, 2010, Green Bay East High School cut the ribbon for the Caring Closet. Through the generous donations of school families, staff members, community members, local businesses and churches, we have been able to provide clothing, school supplies and personal hygiene products for over 300 students in need. The students we serve through the Caring Closet are students who are striving to do well academically, but need an extra boost to make sure their basic needs are met. Students are brought to the Closet with a social worker, so the student can pick out needed items. During the winter season, 20 laundry baskets filled with family and house necessities were delivered to East and Washington families in need.
We would like to thank all of you who have so generously donated to the Caring Closet. We appreciate the support from local groups who have held clothing and school supply collections. Our librarian, Julie Ollmann, organized a fundraiser through Barnes and Noble benefitting the Caring Closet with some of the funds. We would also like to thank Procter and Gamble for continuing to support the Caring Closet with another grant this year.
Just a reminder, as you are spring cleaning, we will gladly accept new or gently used high school appropriate clothing. As you head out for back-to-school sales, please keep the Caring Closet in mind. If you have a graduating senior, we would appreciate the donation of graduation gowns and caps after the celebrations. We are trying to have a collection on hand for students to use, if they can’t afford their own.
We also want to encourage students in need to visit the Caring Closet. Students can contact one of the social workers in Student Services, if they are in need of clothing, school supplies or personal hygiene products.

Follow us on Facebook at: Green Bay East High School Caring Closet

Go
Education
Education Inequalities
Homelessness and Poverty

Related Stuff