Pack the Cardinal Closet!
Helping Cardinals & Cardinal Closet host a drive, "Pack the Cardinal Closet"!
March 11, 2023
All over the school district, many families are in need of supplies such as hygiene products, clothes, food, and much more. These families had nowhere to turn to for help until the Cardinal Closet was started by an intervention specialist, Mrs. Sarah Bidlack. The Cardinal Closet, located in many places throughout the school district, accepts gently used clothing, shows, and brand-new personal care items. These donations can be brought in by everyone and anyone!
Recently, the Cardinal Closet bought new cabinets that will be sent to every school in the district. However, these closets are not filled to the brim yet with local donations. The Cardinal Closet needs donations such as clothing, shoes, socks, and ESPECIALLY personal care items.
Earlier this year, the Helping Cardinals, a club dedicated to making our community a better space with volunteering, decided to help the Cardinal Closet out by running a drive-in collaboration. Even though this drive was originally scheduled for the winter in order to spread the holiday spirit, the Helping Cardinals instead decided to spread the Leprechaun spirit and actually have it the week before Spring Break.
At their last meeting, the Helping Cardinals started to promote this drive by creating posters advertising it for the students of Mentor High. With the artistic abilities of the Helping Cardinal members, the club wishes to sway and make the students aware of this incredible opportunity to give back to their community.
The drive will take place from March 13th to the 16th. All throughout the school in the HUB, Student Center, and potentially lecture halls, there will be bins and boxes to drop off supplies. Both the Helping Cardinals and the Cardinal Closet would look favorably upon students, teachers, and families to donate primarily hygiene products as that is the most needed item currently. The items can include things such as soap, 2-in-1 shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, and much more.
“With this opportunity, students of Mentor High should really take advantage in order to help our community,” says Vice-president of the Helping Cardinals, Loren Wandersleben.
“People should donate to the Cardinal Closet because all items taken in and kept are given to families for free as opposed to resale,” says Mrs. Bidlack. “The donations also provide the work tasks to teach our students job skills.”
Packing the Cardinal Closet is extremely important as it helps so many in the Mentor Schools district. At any time, Mentor staff are able to fill out a form for any student that might be in need of additional supplies. Along with this, it gives students many opportunities to learn valuable skills.
“Students at Memorial Middle, CARES, and MHS Cardinal Works help maintain the closet,” Mrs. Bidlack says.
The collaboration between the Helping Cardinals and the Cardinal Closet will benefit so many students at Mentor High School. Not only will students’ donations help other students in need, but it also gives other students retail skills.
All students should help fellow Cardinals on March 13 to the 16th by donating needed products for the Cardinal Closet through the Helping Cardinals’ drive, “Pack the Cardinal Closet”! All donations are appreciated by the Helping Cardinals, Cardinal Closet, and fellow students and families!
Along with donating, take a look at the Cardinal Closet’s most recent newsletter!