Nearly a quarter of all children in the communities we serve currently live in poverty and lack access to critical items that are essential to their physical and emotional well-being. 

The need has never been more dire and widespread than at this time in our world when no community, regardless of how affluent, is left without families who face a world of challenges meeting their children’s most basic and essential needs.

As we approach the end of year, we’re preparing to serve more students and families who desperately need immediate support.

The late fall and winter season is most challenging for our students and for our organization.

The late fall and winter months create the most hardship for our students as cold temperatures increase their need for specific winter gear, schools close for breaks causing a nine-day loss in supportive resources, and they lack a warm place to go.

From November through at least March, so many students are up against extremely cold weather and snow without warm clothing or a safe place to turn.

In the area we serve, there are over 28,000 homeless students that will be experiencing a winter without proper gear.

This has a huge impact on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Without essential winter items, they are more likely to miss school.

In comparison to last year, the demand for Catie’s Closet’s services has tripled.

We attribute the steep rise in need to a rise in bullying and obesity, decline in educational performance, inflation, continuous high levels of poverty, and a children and teen mental health crisis.

Our students’ growing needs, as well as our expansion into new schools and communities, increases our demand for winter coats, hats and gloves, boots, and socks substantially.

How can you help?

As we approach the end of 2022, there are several ways you can help students in need this winter and well into 2023.

  • Make a monetary donation to fund the urgent and immediate needs of students.
  • Purchase and donate a Market Basket or Target gift card to help homeless children in your community buy the items they desperately need while schools are closed for winter break. Drop off or mail your gift card to 19 School St. Dracut, MA 01826 or 63 Sprague St. Boston, MA 02136.
  • Host a Giving Drive with your company or at your next family gathering.
  • Shop our Amazon Wish Lists to purchase and donate new items.
  • Clean out your kids’ closet to donate their gently-used clothing and drop your donations off at either one of our Distribution Centers.