Since 2010, the Harlingen CISD Clothing Closet has met the needs of thousands of students and their families thanks to contributions from organizations, businesses, and individuals throughout the Harlingen community.
This school year, the Clothing Closet has helped more than 900 families.
The Clothing Closet is run by the HCISD Parental Involvement/Dropout Prevention Department which includes Director Dr. Jose Luis Cavazos, two registered social workers, Patsy Sanchez and Adriana Garcia, and many other parental involvement staff members.
Schools across the district get involved in helping the Clothing Closet by hosting clothing drives.
Before the holiday break, Cano Freshman Academy PTSA students donated more than 150 new and gently used items that included blankets and coats.
Businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout Harlingen also consistently donate to the Clothing Closet.
In the first week of January, Paradise Park RV Resort donated $1,118 and 1,000 new items which included winter coats, t-shirts, pants, undergarments, and shoes.
“Sometimes instead of donating items, people will donate money and that goes for whatever the Clothing Closet may need,” Director of Parental Involvement and Dropout Prevention Dr. Jose Luis Cavazos said. “For example, when school started, we needed school supplies, so we went and bought about $1,000 of school supplies.”
The goal of the Clothing Closet is to ensure that students have the clothing, school supplies, and personal hygiene items they need.
“When a request is made, we give students and their families five of each clothing item that is available, one for each day of the week,” Parental Involvement Social Worker Patsy Sanchez said. “So, we go through a lot of things very quickly.”
The Clothing Closet is available to all HCISD families. Donations of new or gently used clothes, shoes, and new undergarments and toiletries are accepted all year long.
“Lately we have gotten a lot of small children’s undergarments, but we don’t have men’s and women’s sizes for high school students,” Sanchez said. “Because we work with our families so often, we know what the needs are, and we always try to get the things that we know we are lacking.”
Currently, the HCISD Clothing Closet is in need of the following items: grocery gift cards, gently used shoes in all children and adult sizes, new undergarments in men’s and women’s sizes for middle school and high school students, and personal hygiene products specifically shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and bath soap.
“Every day we have people come in,” Dr. Jose Luis Cavazos said. “So, we ask that people think of the HCISD Clothing Closet as their number one stop to drop off donations because it is going to students from our Harlingen school district.”
The Harlingen CISD Clothing Closet is located at 310 N. 13th Street. For more information, you may call 956-427-3515.
