When students have access to appropriate and fashionable clothing, they can focus on their education rather than fitting in. That point of view — the mission of Catie’s Closet.  

 

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent of school days over the course of the year. Numbers from the department show that during the 2015-16 school year, roughly 15.5 percent of students experience chronic absence nationwide, with 13.6 percent in Massachusetts. At Lowell High, that number is 18 percent. 

 

Catie’s Closet was set up to improve school attendance by providing an in-school resource of clothing and basic necessities for students below the poverty line. The agency also provides emergency packages for those temporarily in need.

The goal of the nonprofit is to combat chronic absences among students, a problem characterized by higher levels of student poverty. Missing school leads to lost instructional time, and over time, the gaps in attendance create difficulties in student learning and decreases academic achievement.

 

https://www.catiescloset.org/