KIDS’ CLOSET
GARDNER LEARNING CENTER
715 Ave. D
San Manuel, AZ 85631      
520-385-4000

As the primary program of SaddleBrooke Community Outreach, Kids’ Closet provides new wardrobes for children (Headstart through Eighth grade) in the fall and again in the spring.  During the 2007-2008 school year we issued 3809 wardrobes to 2525 children.  The new clothes make a tremendous difference in the quality of life for these children through improved school attendance, better grades and overall self-esteem.
 

These students come from 20 schools located from Catalina to 100 miles northeast to San Carlos.  Most schools bus the students on Mondays and Thursdays, while others come with their parents.  We are also open on some Saturdays to better accommodate parent’s schedules.  Each school determines whether the child qualifies (usually eligibility is determined by Free and Reduced Lunch Program standards).  We also provide a new wardrobe for each boy as he is dismissed from Catalina Mountain School.

The Teen Closet is an extension of the SBCO Kid’s Close Program which clothes children from pre-school to K-8.  The Teen Closet works with freshmen entering their assigned Amphitheater High School from either Coronado K-8 in Catalina or Mountain Vista School in Oracle.  These students are recommended by the school counselor and must meet the criteria for receiving school wardrobes.  The original concept for the Teen Closet was to give these students a leg up to feel better about themselves by having new school clothes and working with new and fresh school supplies. 

The initial shopping trip for clothes and school supplies occurs at the end of July prior to the freshman entering High School.  The shopping takes place at the Rooney Ranch Shopping Center where Target and Ross Dress for Less are located on North Oracle Road south of First Avenue in Oro Valley. Each of the selected 9th grade students will have a personal shopping consultant, an adult who is a member of Community Outreach.  That adult will shop with the student and help the student select appropriate school clothing and stay within the amount of money budgeted.  All the clothing and school supplies are paid for by SBCO. 

In order to continue in the program, the students are asked to fulfill the following requirements to qualify for another shopping trip at the end of the semester. 

Excellent school attendance
Good grades (2.0 or C average)
At least one meeting with your school counselor
Completion of six (6 hours) of volunteer community service

Students who fulfill these requirements each semester will be eligible for shopping trips throughout their high school years. 

In addition, Teen Closet students who complete the requirements throughout high school and main a high scholastic average are going to be eligible to compete for SBCO scholarships.

WISH TO VOLUNTEER?

We need 25 volunteers to assist the kids with a shopping experience each day we are open.  We also have a stocker to help keep the shelves full of clothes for the students to shop.  Please consider being a part of this fun day with your friendly neighbors.  When you help these students choose their new clothing (which in many cases is their first new clothes) you will have a feeling of pride in giving back to the community for all the blessings we have here in SaddleBrooke.
 

HISTORY OF KIDS’ CLOSET 

On October 2, 1997 Kids’ Closet was born.  A small group of SaddleBrooke women distributed used clothing to needy children at Avenue B Elementary School located in San Manuel.  That year 358 children were clothed.  Realizing the need and the space requirements to handle this program this group moved the Closet to Mammoth Elem. School.  We were given a classroom and part of a storage room for inventory.  We also began purchasing all new clothes.  From that time onward we continued to clothe more and more students from an increasing number of schools as each year went on. 

In January of 2005 we moved back to San Manuel to six classrooms in the Gardner Learning Center.  In the summer of 2007 we expanded to 7 classrooms. Two classrooms are used for the actual Kids' Closet store where there are twelve dressing rooms for the children's use.  Two rooms are set up classroom style for the teachers to work with the kids while waiting for their turn to "shop," and the other three rooms are set up as winter and spring warehouses.  One section is set up for a volunteer break room where our volunteers can sit and enjoy their lunches.   

FROM OUR RECIPIENTS 

"Special thanks to ALL contribute in making our children smile." Delores
"Thank you 4 the clothes and all the help and time you did to make my life better."  Tony