SMAHS Care Closet receives funding from Lenten Works of Mercy collections
Each Lent, the Care & Concern Committee at St. Mary’s Parish meets with members of all three Catholic churches in St. Marys to pick three local nonprofit groups that they feel need financial support and raise money for them via the Lenten Works of Mercy collections.
This year, one of the collections went to the
Care Closet at St. Marys Area High School. As a result of that collection, the Care Closet was recently presented with a donation of $4,450.
The St. Marys Area High School Care Closet was established in April 2019 while St. Marys Area school counselor/ Care Closet Coordinator Leigh Aaron was taking a graduate level course on poverty. She completed her final project on establishing a Care Closet to provide personal hygiene and basic school supplies to low income families. At that time, around a third of students came from low income homes. Those students struggle to overcome many things that their peers take for granted, such as basic school supplies, personal hygiene items, and other necessities. By assisting students to meet those basic needs the students can better focus on their education.
The Care Closet started by providing personal care items, but after a year, there was a need to expand and offer clothing, shoes, coats, etc. to students as well. Aaron has been able to obtain some donations of clothing, and personal care items, as well as some monetary donations. However, she has seen an increase in the number of students requesting items from the Care Closet.
The Care Closet has had a need for more boys’/men’s clothing recently, however Aaron only has limited items available. The Care Closet is currently based in her office, however, she has located a closet that has available space and is working on expanding the closet.