The summer of 2021 is a summer like no other for Catie’s Closet and for our students. 

During a typical summer, we close our in-school closets when our schools close for summer break. Students who need clothing, toiletries and other essential items throughout the summer, receive assistance through our special order program. 

Our efforts throughout the summer are focused on stocking our Distribution Center with summer clothes for those students, and preparing our closets for the upcoming school year. 

This summer, however, schools remain open for students participating in summer school programs to catch up and stay on track to avoid long-term learning loss from the extremely challenging 2020-2021 school year.

All of the school districts Catie’s Closet serves are hosting summer programs.

This means that any student in their school building throughout this summer has access to our closets.

Filling a need like never before.

COVID-19 increased our demands to record levels as poverty and unemployment rates soared, leaving families unable to meet their basic needs.

As our communities begin to open up and lift restrictions, our students are still reeling from all of the changes and challenges forced upon them.

Families still need to make tough decisions between purchasing food and self-care products. Mental health issues in children are a new crisis. Students are desperate for re-connection, access to supportive services, and a reminder that there are still people who care about their well-being.

With schools open for learning this summer, students in great need will be accessing our closets during a time when we typically don’t have visitors to our closets. 

Additionally, we continue to open more closets in new schools and communities. We will end this year with nearly 130 closets serving over 80,000 students.

The need truly isn’t slowing down. As projected, it’s steadily climbing to new heights. 

How you can help

As always, we stand committed in doing everything we can to meet our students’ needs no matter what they face. 

With the help of our amazing supporters, we’ve been able to keep that promise despite all that we have had to face as one community.

We still need your help to ensure that students not only have access to everything they need over the summer, but that our closets will be ready for them when the new school year welcomes back all students.

Help us Fill the Bus!

Our sixth annual Fill the Bus event runs August 1-September 30.

This is our biggest clothing drive of the year. Typically, we focus on clothing for back to school, but the truth is students need help immediately AND as they head back to school in the fall. 

To Fill the Bus this year, you can Run it. Pack it. Give it. 

Ready to learn more and get started? Click here.