For children living in poverty or experiencing other types of crises or trauma, positive relationships are critically important to their healthy development and overall well-being.

The Catie’s Closet service model allows students to build healthy, trusting and positive relationships with school staff who are dedicated to their educational, emotional and social development.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), safe, stable, and nurturing relationships can be a buffer against the harms of toxic stress on children.

The children we serve often experience significant stress that impacts their performance in school, behavior, self-esteem, ability to interact with others, and more.

Read: How poverty impacts children’s mental health and educational outcomes

In the midst of the pandemic, childhood stress is on the rise making positive relationships more important than ever. Many educators are making connections with their students a main priority in their classrooms.

 

Catie’s Closet provides a way to do this.

We often hear from faculty at our school partners about the ways Catie’s Closet acts as a tool to build positive, trusting relationships with their students. 

 

Hear what they have to say:

“As an early childhood center, our relationships with students and families have been tremendously impacted as a result of Catie’s Closet. Families trust us and look to us as a valuable resource…. Thank you for your partnership!

 

“They feel cared for and it provides a nurturing interaction that many students may not have otherwise. It has helped me to meet new students in need/high risk, as well as deepening relationships with students with whom I already work.”

 

“Students are more likely to come to me as Catie’s Closet has served as another positive way to build relationships with students who need the service.”

 

“My students are able to be clean and attend school with confidence. Many will come to me ashamed the first time they need help and after that we make it fun and “shop in the closet” and have a great time. I think the Closet has been the most amazing thing for me as a school social worker.”

 

“It has impacted my relationships with students in a tremendous way. Having Catie’s Closet available makes the kids feel like we care about them and are also there to help them with anything they need.”

 

“It has given me the ability to provide them with essential items they need to be clothed, have appropriate hygiene, fit in and feel good about themselves. It has provided students with a sense of trust that they are taken care of.”

 

“It has allowed some students to build more trusting relationships with adults in the school. They understand that there are resources and don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed to utilize them.”

 

“I feel that this whole experience has built trust between my students and myself, in that they know there will never be judgment from me and I am there to help them succeed and feel good about themselves but also do it in a private way, so they don’t feel different from their peers.”

 

“Having the closet has helped with building a positive relationship with the students, as they feel comfortable talking about their others needs (aside from academics or school base) because they feel that we see them, we notice when they are tired, we care if they have pajamas to sleep in, clothes that are comfortable and fit, and also they have a variety of clothes to pick from so they are able to not only have new clothes but have a choice of how they want to express themselves through what they wear.”

 

“Catie’s Closet serves as a bridge between myself and students. The students know they can call on me to alleviate pressing needs in a private and respectful manner.”

 

“Catie’s Closet has very positively impacted my relationship with students. As an English Language Learner teacher, we get students coming to the United States from all over the world, and coming from many different situations. When we can get students set up with Catie’s Closet when they first arrive, it allows us to start off our relationship in a very positive way, and to make sure students feel welcome at our school and in our country. It also allows them to come into school (even in their first days) feeling confident. Some students have a very difficult time with academics and behavior at school, but when we bring them into Catie’s Closet, it allows us to make a bond with students that can help us connect in all interactions with the students.”

 

“As students become aware of the existing support provided in school, they begin to develop meaningful and trustworthy relationships. Catie’s Closet has been instrumental in helping increase student self-esteem and seek support whenever they need.”

 

Ready to join our mission and help students continue to build healthy relationships?

Visit our Get Involved page for all of the ways you can get started today. No matter what your interests, values, or ways you wish to give back may be, there is an option for you to make a difference.