Virginia School District Opens Free Clothing Closet for Students in Need

Many kids worry about picking an outfit for the first day of school, but for students from low-income households, finding clothes to wear can be a real struggle. A new initiative from one public school system in Virginia aims to make this part of back-to-school season a little easier for children and their families. As WDBJ7 reports, Roanoke City Public Schools has opened a clothing closet that provides new and gently used items to students in need.

Every Tuesday from 2:30 to 4 p.m., a room in William Fleming High School in Roanoke County transforms into a closet stocked with shirts, jackets, accessories, and other pieces of clothing kids can use to supplement their wardrobes. Students are invited to stop in after school and browse items to take home for free. And they don't need to worry about catching the school bus: After picking out the clothes they like, kids are given city bus passes to get home safely.

The clothes closet at William Fleming High School is supplied by members of the community. If someone has new or used clothes they're willing to part with, they can contact Katherine Londos at 540-752-3367 to arrange a donation.

Programs that offer free goods to the underserved members of a student body are gaining popularity in districts across the country. Recently, a 13-year-old student spearheaded a clothing closet similar to the one in Virginia at his school in Louisiana. Other resources, like the pantry at Washington High School in North Carolina, offer students free food and toiletries instead of clothes.