Program provides new clothes for students

Dignity U Wear partners with Duval County School District to help kids in need

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville nonprofit Dignity U Wear and the Duval County School District are partnering to open their first New Clothes Closet, offering new clothing to students in need.

The program will provide those students with clothes, shoes and even jewelry, all for free.

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"Many students are coming to school wearing the same clothes every day," Duval County Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said. "Sometimes they're dirty clothes, sometimes they're embarrassed and their self-esteem is affected by that."

School district administrators say they want students to feel good about who they are so they can focus on learning.

So with the cut of the ribbon Friday they opened the closet, using the school district's warehouse, filled with clothes from Dignity U Wear, donated by companies like Polo, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger.

"Having the clothes on site, if there's an immediate need we come to the warehouse and fill it," said Susan Leach, supervisor of social work services for the school district.

Dignity U Wear will continue to stock the closet with clothing that's specific to the district's needs in terms of size and gender.

The group already made an impact on about 3,000 Duval County students last year and with the new closet, it hopes to double those numbers.

"They held it up and they looked at it, big grin, big eyes and said, 'There's no holes in it. Never had anything new like that,' followed by a huge hug," said Parker McCrary, board president of Dignity U Wear.

Depending on the program's success, Dignity U Wear plans to expand to other school districts in the country.