Click here to print donation form for the Kids’ Closet building fund
KIDS’ CLOSET GROUND BREAKING: A NEW ADDRESS COMING SOON
On January 23, the current Kids’ Closet in San Manuel re-opened for a new season. Of course, we can all hardly wait for the opening of the new Kids’ Closet building in Mammoth, which will be ready in late spring. Work has just begun, after a wonderful ground breaking ceremony on December 6. The official “groundbreakers” were students from the Mammoth STEM School located on the hill above the new Closet site. With kid-sized shovels and rakes, the team dug in and officially started the work on the Closet. Kids’ Closet VPs Pat Ford and Paula Morgan tell us that the new building will have a more closed design, which will be more energy efficient and will better serve the kids’ needs. Many of the students from the northern Pinal County towns and San Carlos will also have a much shorter bus ride to the Closet. We are receiving terrific support from the town of Mammoth and the contractors, and all the permits finally have been approved. So it’s on to the new building. (See also the Insert in this issue on the “Kick-Off Campaign 4 Kids’ Closet,” a new way that individuals can donate to the program and have their names on a permanent plaque in the new Kids’ Closet).
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 2009-2010 school year we issued 3488 wardrobes to 2268 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.
We are open from late September to the middle of December for winter clothes and again from February through April for spring clothes. The fall dates are indicated below. 
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. Give us a call and say you would like to help, or ask for further information. Nancy Clancy (818-6367) or Pat Ford (818-9434) would be happy to visit with you.
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