LYCOMING COUNTY, Pa. — For the past five years, the Care Closet has been helping students and families in need at the Jersey Shore Area Middle School.
"A lot of our students are considered to be of low socioeconomic status and, so they just needed help with extras like shampoo, conditioner, things like that. We didn't want kids to be absent from school because they needed hygiene items, so we thought we could supply them,"
You can find everything from clothing to shoes and hygiene products in the care closet.
"Some families find it's really hard to buy something that you're just gonna wear one time, you know, even if you can afford to buy the regular school clothes, sometimes you can't afford a nice dressy outfit for a dance, and so we want kids to be able to go to the dance and not worry about that so we have a whole rack of clothes just for dance and for concerts, and things like that," said Silvis.
Over the last year or so, teachers say they've seen an increased need, mostly due to inflation. Which is why they are asking for donations.
"This absolutely would not be possible without the community's help. People even outside of the town of Jersey Shore have sent us money to buy hygiene items and buy some of the special things at the holidays for the kids," said Silvis.
If you have old clothes or extra supplies to donate to the Care Closet, you can drop them off at the main office of Jersey Shore Area Middle School during regular school hours.