At the beginning of last year, Highline High School opened a Clothes Closet where students can shop for free for items they may not be able to afford otherwise. According to coordinator Nanci Leonard, “the Clothes Closet is a magical resource for students. We’ve recently been given more space in a new building; we give out around 500 items a week. It is a happy place and a gift to the student’s mental health!”
The Clothes Closet is open every Tuesday during both lunch periods and is constantly growing in popularity. This much-needed resource has signage in English and Spanish and is filled with generous donations from the community.
Of the Closet’s needs, Nancy shares, “I am delighted with its growing popularity; however, this makes it more challenging to keep the racks filled with clothing that teens are excited about. Unfortunately, I get many items that aren’t youthful. The generous donations from family, friends, and community members have been overwhelming. It is a win-win situation — the students are thrilled, and the donors are delighted to donate their belongings to those who need them. It is a beautiful example of recycling.”
If you would like to donate, please give new, gently-used, teen-friendly, and clean items.
Popular items include:
- Hoodies
- Jeans
- Sweatshirts/sweatpants
- Flannel shirts, and
- Warm coats
Donations may be left in the high school’s main office and labeled with:
Clothes Closet/Nanci Leonard.
If you have questions, feel free to contact:
Nanci Leonard
Clothes Closet Coordinator
nanci.leonard@highlineschools.org
