Community Spotlight!

The Caring Closet

Community Spotlight highlights organizations and individuals who help others and in turn, grow our community. In this issue, Meadville High School’s Caring Closet, run by Natalie Stearns, caught our attention after we made a donation. Here, Natalie, otherwise known by her students as Mrs. Stearns, details how the Caring Closet has grown and impacted MASH’s students.

The Caring Closet is a donation-based organization to which students who need clothing are directed. We aim to maintain student dignity above all, and this is precisely what ONE Federal Credit Union has helped us to continue. The school nurse and the Closet were both in need of undergarments for students, which is not typically something that we provide, but we are constantly finding places where they’re needed. We are always in need of gym clothes and leggings, and ONE Federal Credit Union really came through with a supply of those necessities .

Student volunteers help run and organize the Caring Closet.

Clothing items are gathered by donation.

Caring Cupboard was created to respond to a food insecurity issue in our complex. Students are selected on a desperate need basis. Community outreach to support our cause has been overwhelming.

In 2019, we established a toiletries program and a free laundry service at MASH called “The Laundry Basket.”

In 2020, we began stocking the restrooms with high quality feminine products as this was seen as a need in our school.

In the nearly 13 years that I have run the closet, never once has a parent tell me they didn’t want my help. I do believe that students age 13-18 are particularly often overlooked. The Caring Closet in its different branches addresses needs of students who are homeless, and even teen parents. I think that over the years, we have become something that the students trust and look to as a safe place to come for help at school. Conversely, I am able to impact many students who have everything that they could possibly need by accepting donations and asking for their volunteer help in organizing our donations. They have a chance to interact with students in need and I help to guide them through this process as it is a learning experience for them and makes them feel as though they can make a difference to someone. They know how good it feels to show kindness.