Clothes for kids

A $15,000 grant from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation will enable the Kiwanis Closet program to expand into the area middle schools. The project already provides all of the elementary schools in Hancock County, as well as Blanchard Valley School and St. Michael the Archangel School, with a variety of new clothing items. If a child comes to school without something they need or they make a mess and need a change of clothes, new socks, sweatpants, underwear and shirts are available, said Rick Kidwell, a member of the Findlay Kiwanis Club. "We're very excited, very pleased that we're going to be able to move this project up to the middle school level," he said. According to Kidwell the idea dates back to 2015. He and Anne Whitman, who was the club president at the time, were discussing how they both knew teachers who were actually buying some of these items with their own money. "And we said that just doesn't seem right, so what could we do?" he recalled them both asking. They came up with the idea of placing a large wooden armoire in each school and then keeping it stocked with clothing. "We were originally going to pilot the program in three buildings. The response was overwhelming and we did all 18 sites at once," he said. For some of the children, it was the first item of new clothing they'd ever received, said Kidwell. "And it's not like it's a go to Sunday church type clothing. It's a new pair of sweatpants, new socks," he said. "In many cases, the child has an accident during the school day and a lot of parents aren't at home anymore because everybody's working, so it just worked out well." The middle school project will work on the same basis. Kiwanis sends out a request form for each school to fill out with a list of items they may need. "We maintain a pretty good inventory of items," said Kidwell. "So we get that request and a couple of our members pull the items out of our inventory and put them in bags and bring them to a club meeting. And then a club member volunteers to deliver them to that school." Initially they hadn't thought about expanding the program to the older grades. "We really thought that we were doing a really good job with the elementary school," he said. "And we had a couple requests come in, actually it was Donnell and Glenwood, since they knew we were doing it in the elementary (schools). We did that a couple times, and that stimulated some discussion about well, maybe there is a need at the middle schools that we're not aware of." A survey went out to all 11 middle schools. "Based on those results it was like OK, there is a need out there," said Kidwell. The items they need differ somewhat for middle schools, he said. While the elementary schools need clothing, middle schools more often ask for food and hygiene products. "If they don't have as much of a need for clothing as they do for hygiene products, we'll just be aware of that and address those needs as they come in," said Kidwell. "We'll do a standard clothing package, but then we'll also have deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb and brush, and then some nonperishable food items." He said they hope to have the new closets in place soon after the start of the new school year. The club will receive $5,000 of the grant each year over three years. Kidwell said they're also in the process of submitting a grant to the Kiwanis Children's Fund to help with the initial start-up costs. Contributions to the project are accepted. These can be made to the Findlay Kiwanis Foundation, which is a 501c3 organization, if donors want to deduct donations from their taxes. "We've been very pleased with the response," said Kidwell. He added that they are frugal when they purchase items for the closets. "We try to avoid paying full price for anything," he said. "There are a few of us, we spend a lot of time at some of the local big box stores. When we see sweatpants go on clearance, we stock up. The clerks hate to see us coming with two shopping carts full of clothing." The long-range goal originally was to have the Kiwanis Closet replicated by other clubs. Kidwell said there are some clubs in the Ohio district that have already adopted the concept. He has also been in contact with a member from Richmond, Virginia, who asked for details. And a former club member who moved to Florida is now working with the schools there. "So we're kind of hoping if we get our feet on the ground with the middle school project, we can present that at a conference here in the Ohio district and encourage other clubs to get involved," he said.