Washington Middle School staff collecting donations for Kindness Closet

Sometimes a teacher's job requires them to look beyond the need within the walls of the classroom. Washington Middle School teachers have done just that by deciding to open the Kindness Closet, which will provide free clothing and hygiene products to students and families in need.

It all started when Rachel Meyer, social studies teacher at Washington Middle School (WMS), saw a post on Facebook about a school district in Illinois opening up a clothes closet for students in need. She brought it up to Emily Miller, WMS guidance counselor. who is beginning to put together a food pantry for students, and together the pair enlisted the help of other teachers to begin the process.

WMS social studies teacher, Connie Svenby, jumped on board right away because she felt it would be a great addition to both the school and the community.

'It's just a really great idea and I think it's something that our community needs, and that our students especially, need,” she said.

The program, which they have dubbed the Kindness Closet, will house new or gently used clothing as well as new hygiene products such as shampoo, soap and deodorant. Students and families will be able to come in and select what they need at no cost.

Meyer said the goal is to have the Kindness Closet up and running by the end of the school year to allow for students to take clothing home for the summer. She said creating this clothes closet is important for students because it's a way to fulfill a need that reaches beyond the walls of the classroom.

'Our students come to school on a daily basis with more need than we could ever fill,” she said. 'If our kids are taken care of as far as food in their bellies and clothes on their backs, we can do our jobs.”

Donations can be brought to the middle school office any time. The Kindness Closet is accepting clothing donations for people aged infant through adult, brand-new personal hygiene products, hangers and laundry soap.