Catie's Closet Provides Necessities To Hampton Bays Students

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — At a time when many students are facing great need, a not-for-profit organization, Catie's Closet Long Island, has come to Hampton Bays to help students with basic necessities.

According to Catie's Closet, an organization that was born in 2009, with locations in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the first-ever Long Island location for giving was created at the Hampton Bays School District.

Information on the Catie's Closet Long Island website indicates that more than 95,000 students, or 41 percent, of students in Suffolk County are economically disadvantaged.

"A staggering 64 percent of the students in Hampton Bays are experiencing the same difficulty. Families struggle to maintain the infrastructure of the household leaving limited resources to meet their children’s needs," the site says.

Bringing Catie’s Closet to Hampton Bays means "we are providing relief and support in a time they need it most. Access to clothing, basic necessities, school supplies and specialty items, available in their school, is life-changing," the site explains.

Without those basic necessities, many children in need miss school; access to basic hygiene and clothing is critical in helping kids to be prepared and focused in school, Catie's Closet organizers explain.

Sheri Lyons wrote about the program on social media; she serves on the board of directors, she said.

"Long Island's child poverty rate is growing at a rapid pace," Lyons wrote. "To alleviate the burdens families are facing living in poverty, we just opened Catie's Closet Long Island within the Hampton Bays School District. This is the first Long Island affiliate of Catie's Closet, which serves 100 school districts and 70,000 children in need in Massachusetts and New Hampshire."

Catie's Closet, Lyons said, transforms unused areas inside schools into "safe, welcoming spaces where students in preK to 12 can discreetly shop, free of charge, for clothing, toiletries and other necessities. With the power of choice and dignity, Catie's Closet fuels their confidence, encourages them to stay in school and unlocks opportunities."

Lyons, who said her son is a student ambassador for Regis High School in New York, added: "We are looking forward to working with the Long Island community to create social change by disrupting the cycle of poverty so that children and teens have access to the clothing and essentials they need to mitigate chronic absenteeism and thrive."

Lyons added that "just $22 can help shift the paradigm for these kids." To donate, click here.

Catie's Closet seeks to shed light on the fact that, while much is known about food insecurity and homelessness, less has been said about the impact of clothing insecurity or lack of basic needs "which has an emotional, mental, and physical effect on children. Clothing is a visible sign of hardship and an emerging indicator of child poverty. The lack of appropriate clothing or access to soap, toothpaste, deodorant and feminine products regularly leave disadvantaged children feeling ashamed about their appearance and family situations," the website states.

There is an urgent need for products including new, full-sized toiletries, including shampoo, soap, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, and feminine products; hats, gloves and coats; sneakers and boots; and monetary donations.

According to data collected from school administrators participating in the program, Catie's Closet has made a measurable impact, the organization said: Graduation rates among low-income students improved 17.8 percent; chronic absence decreased by 29.4 percent; absences of 10 or more days decreased by 21.9 percent; and discipline rates improved by 30 percent.

Also, data indicates that 78 percent of those participating bring students to the closet at least once per week; 91 percent saw a significant positive impact in student self-esteem; 82 percent reported some positive impact on student achievement; and 79 percent saw significant/ some positive impact on student class participation, Catie's Closet representatives said.

Visits to Catie's Closet are private and discreet, the organization said; students can visit the closet anytime during school hours to shop, while accompanied by a faculty member.

"One of the most important pieces of the Catie’s Closet mission is to provide students with agency to choose the clothing that allows them to express themselves," the website said.

Racks and shelves containing shirts, pants, coats, new undergarments, shoes and more serve to give kids options so they are able to shop not just for what they need, but want.

Also, the Catie's Closet site said: "As kids, they have no control over their current life circumstances and the challenges they may bring. When it comes to the clothing they wear, there are often no choices at all. Many families are forced to meet other living costs such as food and housing before spending on kids’ clothing, shoes, hygiene products, school supplies, and more. When it comes to paying for food vs. clothing, food most often wins. Catie’s Closet steps in as an always-accessible resource to meet the needs of children whose families are faced with these difficulties."

Lars Clemensen, superintendent of the Hampton Bays School District, said the program was welcomed by all. "We are grateful to have it," he said.