Cocotree Kids Media Kit

WHO WE ARE WHO WE ARE

Cocotree Kids is a Natick-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides new underwear for at-risk youth in Massachusetts. We purchase and distribute kids’ underwear (ages 2 to 16) to homeless and domestic violence shelters, food pantries, schools, hospitals, foster care and other social service organizations that support disadvantaged youth. We are the only organization in MA with a singular focus on providing underwear to underserved children.

OUR MISSION OUR MISSION

Cocotree Kids’ mission is to eliminate underwear insecurity for at-risk and underserved youth in Massachusetts. By providing them with a week’s worth of new underwear, we empower children’s sense of dignity and confidence, allowing them to focus on their education and encouraging their path to success.

The Cocotree Kids Leadership team with three board members.

WHY UNDERWEAR? WHY UNDERWEAR?

Unlike clothing, shoes, and toys that can be donated gently used, underwear needs to be new--making it one of the most needed but least donated items to youth-focused organizations.

1 in 3 children in Massachusetts is at risk of experiencing clothing insecurity. And because it is so rarely donated, underwear insecurity is even more dire. Children without access often reuse soiled underwear, wear poorly fitting hand-me-downs, or nothing at all.

There are health, hygiene and social-emotional implications for a child without underwear. Underwear not only protects against infection and provides a protective barrier for kids beneath their clothes, it is essential to feeling clean and dignified. Children without clean clothing are more likely to skip school out of embarrassment. Cocotree Kids was born out of the desire to ensure that children feel the dignity and comfort they deserve with access to underwear.

All children deserve the dignity and comfort of having underwear.

Cocotree Kids fills a glaring gap especially present in marginalized, vulnerable communities and creates a deeper understanding of their challenges.

GOALS AND IMPACT GOALS AND IMPACT

From 2022-2023, Cocotree Kids tripled its community impact from 30,000 pairs of underwear to almost 90,000 pairs!

Cocotree Kids also serves as a catalyst for positive social change by engaging youth in philanthropy and community service.

#kidshelpingkids

Girl Scout Troop #67245 at a fold and pack event

Foundation for MetroWest’s Youth in Philanthropy program

St. John’s School in Wellesley collected 1000+ pairs of underwear

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TESTIMONIALS TESTIMONIALS

I work with several organizations that provide needed items to youth in households with low incomes. Affording underwear is a huge challenge for the portion of our population that lives near the poverty level or is experiencing financial distress.

- Sudbury Town Social Worker

I would rather gift my son underwear than a toy this Christmas.

- Mother who reached out for help

By providing us with a consistent supply of underwear, we can free up parts of our budget to focus on other essentials.

- Cradles to Crayons, a Cocotree Kids partner

We have parents who have been able to keep up with their electric bill because they haven’t had to buy underwear.

- Wellspring House, a Cocotree Kids partner

We hear so many stories about children’s urgent needs from case managers and clinicians. Cocotree Kids’ underwear donations are critical to meeting those needs.

- Circle of Hope, a Cocotree Kids partner

This was me as a child. It was absolutely mortifying for me to not have clean underwear. You have no idea how impactful this is for a child who has no other options for undergarments.

- Partner employee, formerly homeless as a child

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Founder & CEO

Catherine is passionate about the wellbeing of the whole child. She believes that kids are at their best when they feel confident and comfortable in their own skin. She founded Cocotree Kids on the premise that all kids deserve the dignity and self-respect of feeling clean and supported with proper undergarments.

Catherine spent 14 years at Deloitte in Consulting and Human Resources roles, and holds a BA in Economics and Spanish from Connecticut College.

catherine@cocotreekids.org

Chief Operations Officer

Leah has spent her career improving the operations at large companies, including her time spent at Deloitte Consulting's Supply Chain and Manufacturing group, and most recently at Liberty Mutual as an operational analytics executive.

Leah holds a BS in Mathematics from Tufts University and an MBA with a focus in Operations Management from The University of Michigan and Tauber Institute for Global Operations.

leah@cocotreekids.org

Chief Marketing Officer

Laura has always loved kids and had a desire to help others. She started a socially conscious diaper bag company shortly after having her first child, where each purchase provided life-saving vaccinations to underserved children. Laura has worn many hats, but she has a background in marketing and has worked in the music, fashion, food, and tech industries.

Laura holds a BA in Philosophy from Wellesley College, and an MA in Music Business from New York University.

laura@cocotreekids.org

LEAH BOTCHFORD

LAURA HAHN

Frann Bilus brings more than 20 years of extensive business, consulting, and real estate experience to the board. Frann’s deeply analytical and thoughtful approach makes her an invaluable asset to clients as they navigate the sell and buy side of real estate. She has her own consulting firm, Bilus & Associates, and served as Global Vice President for the Cambridge-based strategic business intelligence firm Fuld + Company.

Frann holds a BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business.

BOARD MEMBERS BOARD MEMBERS

Matthew Clark is a seasoned retail professional who recently retired from a 43-year career in the industry. Most recently, Matthew served as the Vice President of Planning, Allocation and Replenishment at DXL Group, a $540 million retailer of men ’ s big and tall clothing.

Matthew is a graduate of Lafayette College with an AB degree in Anthropology and Sociology. Philanthropically, Matthew has been a team captain for the North Shore Cancer Walk, has been a passionate supporter of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital over the last 15 years and recently fell in love with the Cocotree Kids mission while attending a fundraiser for the charity.

Lorraine (Lo) Stark focuses her practice on all areas of probate and family court litigation. She represents clients in divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, removal, adoption, as well as modification and contempt matters.

For more than a decade, Lo has been a tireless, deeply committed and effective advocate for her clients and consistently secures favorable results for them. Lo is a fierce champion of her clients in an often stressful and emotionally charged process.

Prior to joining Casner & Edwards, Lorraine was a partner in the Private Client Group at Burns & Levinson LLP in Boston. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Boston University School of Law.

Cianna Winnick thrives on helping people and improving situations. As a small business CFO at Keane Management Accountants, she assists more than 50 companies in achieving financial clarity so they can operate efficiently and profit immensely. She is thrilled to join the board of Cocotree Kids as she adores grassroots efforts and organizations who offer direct impact.

As a mother of two kids, she is sensitive to the idea that not all children are able to have their basic needs met. Cocotree Kids is a nonprofit that all ages can understand and get behind, and she wants to be part of the team to solve this need and better children’s futures.

FRANN BILUS, CO-PRESIDENT MATTHEW CLARK, CO-PRESIDENT LORRAINE STARK

CIANNA WINNICK

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

Amy Riemer is principal and founder of Riemer Communications. She draws on more than 30 years of experience securing results for corporate and nonprofit clients as well as trade show companies.

Riemer Communications offers strategic corporate communications programs through solid media and analyst relationships. We have a proven track record of delivering results in product launches, market positioning, event planning, media placements and trade show support.

Amy is a graduate of Rowan University and resides in Andover, MA.

Andrea Martinez Frey brings more than 16 years of experience in the social impact space working for organizations like The Boston Foundation, New Profit Inc., and Citizens. Currently, Andrea is the Director of Strategic Community Partnerships and Engagement for Citizens where she leads the enterprise strategy, development and ongoing oversight of strategic community programs, partnerships and colleague engagement.

Andrea holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Public Health degree from Florida State University and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Boston University.

Dan Sirk is a marketing executive who has built brands, demand and pipeline for 25 years. Dan currently runs his own marketing firm, Go2Marketing Consulting, where he builds and repairs business-to-business (B2B) marketing machines. This role continues his efforts with B2B software and technology start-ups, where he was the Chief Marketing Officer at multiple global organizations.

Dan attended Washington University’s Olin School of Business in St. Louis where he majored in marketing and psychology.

Julie Bostian helps life changing organizations secure philanthropic gifts and build longterm relationships with caring donors. She currently serves as AVP of Donor Relations at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and previously led teams within development at Georgetown University and Boston College. As board president of the Association of Donor Relations Professionals, Julie worked with colleagues across the US and Canada to provide professional development opportunities to the organization’s 1,800 members.

Julie earned a BA from Carleton College and MSc from the University of Edinburgh, both in English Literature.

AMY REIMER

ANDREA MARTINEZ FREY

DANIEL SIRK

JULIE BOSTIAN

When our founder Catherine’s daughter was a toddler, she loved Christmas trees so much but pronounced them, “Cocotrees.”

She would call anything that brought her joy a “Cocotree”—whether it was something she saw outside or a toy. Catherine’s hope is to bring as much happiness to children through Cocotree Kids as the joy that was captured through her daughter.