Charity Newsies is a local organization that is made up of more than 500 volunteers. The organization helps provide clothes and uniforms to families, children, in Franklin County.
Every December, volunteers stand on Broad Street and High Street selling newspapers to be able to purchase the clothes.
The clothes are all brand new and come from manufacturers, sometimes stores.
Charity Newsies began in 1907 and leaders told us ever since have clothed half a million schoolchildren.
In 2019, Charity Newsies had 5.537 applicants, served 421 schools in 19 districts in Franklin County and clothed 12,000 kids.
On Tuesday, car after car pulled into their headquarters’ parking lot on Indianola Avenue starting around 9 a.m. Families were picking up clothes through a drive-thru style.
“It’s very important for a parent like me and with three kids, it’s been almost three years that I’ve been coming here,” Carlos Luc said.
The volunteers had clothes ready to go that were pre-packaged inside their warehouse.
Carlos Luc is one of the parents who showed up to pick up clothes for his kids.
“It’s been very helpful because uniforms are expensive and they’re helping us,” Luc said.
Vice President and Drive Chairman, Brian Rigg, said the package included six pairs of underwear, six pairs of socks, three shirts, three pairs of pants, outerwear including a winter coat, winter hat and gloves.
“All donations are 100% to kids to clothe kids, it’s all brand new clothing and we’ve been doing it every year, this year is a little bit different,” Rigg said.
Instead of having families come in to fill out the applications, they were required to fill them out online.
Typically the kids also were able to come into the warehouse and pick out their clothes. However, because of COVD-19, families were asked to include sizes in the application process.
“It’s not safe to have them come in, you know having 12,000 kids in our building from now until December is just not the way to go,” Rigg said.
Families we spoke with said it’s a way to help each other during times of need, especially with this year because of the pandemic.
“It’s important to me because that helps me save money; a lot of people lost their jobs and they need some help,’ Tevenceud Pierre said.
“I think families are really in need and you know, they’re going to put food on the table before buying new clothes for their children and it means so much to have new clothes for anyone, especially children that maybe their family has cut corners,” Rigg said.
Leaders said they want families to feel comfortable and safe asking for help if they need it. Parents also told us, having the new clothes and this kindness brings smiles to their kids’ faces.
“to see the children’s smile in the cars pulling up, it’s just an amazing thing,” Rigg said.
“A year like this, I can’t even tell you how important this is to us as parents,” Luc said.
The organization has extended its application deadline to January 31. Families can apply here.