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Clothes for Kids
A Bay Area organization gives kids a free wardrobe so they can dress for success.
TAMPA, Fla. - As prices rise for everything, keeping growing children in clothing appropriate for school is more of a challenge, but a Bay Area non-profit is helping reduce the burden.
Clothes to Kids is a Bay Area non-profit that provides a week’s worth of school clothes to kids for free.
To be eligible to receive clothes, the children must qualify for free and reduced lunch or be considered "at risk".
The families then make an appointment and the kids get to go into the store and go shopping.
Families make an appointment and then kids get to go into the store and go shopping.
"They’re not just walking into a clothing closet, they’re actually walking into a store. We’re giving them the opportunity to have the same shopping experience that you and I would have walking into a shopping mall," explained Megan Diblasi the director of development for Clothes to Kids.
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What's Right: Clothes to Kids
Families on a tight budget who need clothes can get free help at a place called Clothes to Kids. This grassroots effort to lift up families is What's Right with Tampa Bay.
"It’s very helpful in my situation right now. I try to keep up by buying the clothes a little bigger, so they can grow into them, but they’re growing faster than the money," stated mother Tosheka Harbrook.
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Clothes to Kids has seen more than 13,500 wardrobes this year alone.
Clothes to kids has given away more than 13,000 wardrobes so far this year.
"We have broken our record from years past and we’re experiencing higher need in our community," said Diblasi. "Kids are often stuck in hand-me-down clothing and unwanted clothing, but here, they get to shop and pick out what makes them feel good about themselves, giving them confidence in the clothes that they wear, allowing them to walk into school with self-worth and confidence needed to succeed at their education."
"It’s a weight lifted off my shoulder for the kids to get new clothes," said Harbrook.
Clothes to Kids is a Bay Area non-profit that provides a week’s worth of school clothes to kids for free.
"We know that the kids shopping with us have hearts and minds just like we do and they want to fit in and feel good about themselves just like we do," stated Diblasi. "These are our neighbor's kids, our kids may be going to school with and we’re helping them all free of charge."
LINK: Click here to learn about Clothes to Kids, or to see if you qualify for its services.