Necessities, the basic things humans need to survive. Food, water, shelter and in today’s age, clothes. According to Feedingamerica.org, 2 in 5 kids in American households are unable to dress themselves every day. This means that kids 2 in 5 kids in every classroom could be struggling with this issue.
Through the struggle, GlenOak has seen the problem and found a way to help. In 2018, a group of guidance counselors started a closet that would provide students with the clothes and resources they need.
“The idea behind it was that if a student needed clothing, or if they simply had a bad day spilling coffee on themselves we could provide the clothes they needed,” Job counselor Bambi Fritsche said.
Eventually, the closet transitioned into a space to help with needs of kids around the district. Pupil Services Director Mark Parent eventually asked and requested a larger closet to provide more families with the resources they needed.
Fritche’s class worked with the then-closing Turnaround Community Outreach Center and the Hartville Thrift Shop who provided hangers, clothes and experience for her students. And due to lack of space, the closet was moved to Glenwood in the previously occupied boys locker room.
“Originally it had nothing in it, but John Mcully who was retiring at the time provided a roof for the room, and partnering with construction trades we put the shelving up,” Fritche said.
Fritche’s JTC Level II students work in the closet three times a week. Every week Goodwill provides their leftover clothes which are cleaned and washed for the closet. With an average of 2-5 students per day utilizing the closet.
“It’s been kinda a growing thing, with a lot of partnerships it wasn’t just one person or one group it just was a lot of ideas that kept going going and going,” Fritsche said. “Now even though we are there three days a week it will never be enough because we are getting so many clothes.”
Fritche’s main mission with the closet is to help families in need, providing clean clothes and toiletries in order to prevent getting in the way of their school and work.
“This one specifically gives me a lot of flexibility, this job has taught me and my students so much when it comes to organization and expanded the variety of tasks my students have had on a worksite and provides a more scripted work environment for my students,” Fritche said.
This closet provides her students the opportunity to have hands-on experience. It gives them a new perspective of how the world works around them.
“The next couple of years our goal is to organize a warehouse where we can have clothes that are backed up with more clothes available. The second goal is for my students to staff it individually,” Fritche said.
The closet can be accessed by either Mrs. Gibson or a community lesion. Mrs. Fritche and her students will keep working on the closet to continue their journey to help the community.
