The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
School clothes given out
Boys and Girls Clubs helps ease cost burden for families
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Lorain County, 4111 Pearl Ave. in Lorain, distributed free school clothes Aug. 25 at its Desich Family Campus to youngsters who participated in their summer camp.
Six hundred children were expected to receive clothing kits valued at about $600 to help families ease the cost burden as school begins across Lorain County, said officials from the Boys and Girls Clubs.
The program in its second year is sponsored in partnership with funding from Lorain County commissioners and the Lorain County Department of Jobs and Family Services.
Participating children between the ages of 6 and 15 received a full supply of clothes covering all seasons, including six pairs of shirts and pants, a winter coat and long sleeve polo along with socks, a belt and winter hat.
“It is just helping the parents out especially those with multiple kids,” said Mike Conibear, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Lorain County. “You know it is just something added on for people in need.
“It is one less thing for parents to worry about and it takes that burden off their shoulders.”
After receiving deliveries last week, the Boys and Girls Clubs staff and a team of volunteers sorted and prepared the items for pickup, which included members of the Lorain High School wrestling team.
“Once we got word that we received this awesome grant from the county, we got our order forms together and got our ducks in a row,” said Jessica Lucas, area director of the Boys and Girls Clubs. “Orders started coming in last week and our staff members worked all day Wednesday and all day Tuesday packing all these bags and did awesome and knocked it out of the park. I couldn’t do it without them.”
The number of kits overwhelmed the Desich Family Campus.
The staff and volunteers stored kits wherever they could find space.
“You couldn’t even walk through this area because the floor was covered,” said Tony Dimacchia, director of operations for the Boys and Girls Clubs.
The clothing distribution continues from noon to 2 p.m., Aug. 26.