Portsmouth Abbey's Clothe-A-Child Efforts Raise $12,500 for Local Youth

The community raised more than $12,500 this year to help clothe local children and teens in need through its Clothe-a-Child campaign.  Since the program began in 1990, more than $105,000 has been raised by Abbey students, allowing the school to purchase enough winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves and other items to clothe more than 3,210 children.

The funds, raised primarily by the students through a wide variety of on-campus, grassroots fundraising initiatives, have allowed the school to purchase the clothing and gift cards for underprivileged youth throughout Newport County and in Fall River and Central Falls. The campaign takes place for one week every December, and students undertake numerous activities to raise as much money as possible for the cause. The effort is spearheaded by student members of S.A.D.D. (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and the Medical Services staff.

Last year, Portsmouth Abbey's Clothe-A-Child campaign set an all-time record by raising more than $13,000 and clothing 487 children, an increase of more than 100 children from the previous year.   

This year, the total number came in at just over $12,500 and 460 children and teens were able to receive much-needed clothing. In recent years, the student residential houses have held hamburger, taco, and cotton candy sales, bake sales and "dress-down" days, organized photos with Santa, held numerous raffles, and, this year, bracelets with "Clothe-A-Child 2011" were produced and sold. School faculty, staff and parents also pitch in to help.  

Area social services agencies receiving the clothing include: the Salvation Army in Newport and Fall River, MA; the Boys and Girls Club of Newport; Lucy's Hearth (a transitional shelter for homeless women and their children); the Ella Risk Elementary School in Central Falls; Job Corp. (a federally run school that provides job training for adolescents); in Portsmouth; the ; and the Star Kids Scholarship Program. 

Sincere thanks, in particular, to a number of businesses that so generously contributed to this year's effort:

Corky & Company
Burlington Coat Factory
China Star
First Republic Bank