The School Care Closets provide students with access to personal hygiene products, food, and clothing. The closets are located within the school buildings to provide easy access at all of our local school districts. The closets require no documentation, and can be used by all students, as facilitators understand that the barriers to basic needs are not all financial.
United Way has been providing Venango County school districts with semi-annual product distributions since 2019. This was after being approached by school administrators who recognized that some of their students were struggling with personal hygiene, causing isolation from their peers and affecting their academic performance.
The semi-annual distributions generally total a monetary value of $5,000. The items purchased are selected by school staff, who are familiar with the needs in their specific closet. Over the past several years, United Way has noticed an increase in the need for clothing and feminine hygiene products.
Schools receiving distributions include:
- Cranberry Area School District
- Franklin Area School District
- Oil City Area School District
- Valley Grove School District
- Venango Technology Center
United Way is working to secure funding to expand this program into the Titusville Region School District.
Donate to the School Care Closets – https://fundraise.givesmart.com/f/3xiy/n?vid=txvi4
