Catie’s Closet Launches 10th Annual ‘Fill the Bus’ Initiative

Amid Funding Delays, Local Students Face Gaps in Supportive Services

DRACUT, MA – As school districts across the country face uncertainty due to delayed federal and local education funding, Catie’s Closet has launched its 10th annual Fill the Bus back-to-school initiative, a community-driven initiative to provide more than 105,000 students with essential items like clothing, hygiene products, and sneakers for the new school year.

This year, the stakes are higher than ever. Due to funding disruptions and growing budget constraints, many schools are unable to continue important services that meet students’ needs beyond education. Catie’s Closet anticipates a shortfall during this critical time and is calling on the community to help bridge the gap. The organization currently operates over 140 in-school Closets across 11 school districts throughout Massachusetts, including Boston, the Merrimack Valley, and Hampden County, as well as in Southern New Hampshire.

The Urgent Need: Supporting Students at the Start of School
After a summer without access to basic necessities, students are returning to classrooms in need of immediate support. Catie’s Closet aims to collect 100,000 items by September 30 to restock its In-School Closets and fill SOS Urgent Response Orders, which provide emergency support for children in crisis.

Recent survey data underscores the life-changing impact of this support:

100% of school partners said Catie’s Closet improves students’ self-esteem.
98% of high school students said choosing their own clothing is important.
85% of students reported feeling more confident and comfortable at school after visiting a Closet.
According to students, the top five areas that are improved by access to clothing and basic necessities are health and mental health, fitting in, bullying, and attendance.

How the Community Can Help

Catie’s Closet is asking individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to get involved in one or more of the following ways:

Donate new or gently used youth and teen clothing, or full-sized toiletries.
Shop from the Wish Lists to conveniently send urgently needed items directly to Catie’s Closet.
Host a clothing drive with your friends, family, business, or the entire community.
Make a financial donation to help purchase high-demand items for the new school year.
Special opportunities for employee engagement and corporate sponsorships are also available.

“For 10 years, our incredibly supportive community has helped students experiencing poverty, homelessness, and other crises go back to school with the essentials they need to thrive in school and in life,” said Mickey Cockrell, CEO and co-founder of Catie’s Closet. “This year, as we celebrate a decade of filling the bus, and as our schools face growing budget challenges, support from the community is needed more than ever.”

More About the Impact of Support
All donations from Fill the Bus will directly support Catie’s Closet’s two signature programs:

The In-School Closet Program provides students with free spaces inside their schools where they can shop for clothing and basic items they need and want in a private and dignified way.
The SOS Urgent Response Program delivers customized emergency packages to students experiencing homelessness, foster care transitions, family displacement, or other crises, providing rapid relief in stressful situations.

To learn more about Catie’s Closet and Fill the Bus, visit catiescloset.org.

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Photo cutline: Sentinel Group, an employee benefits provider based in Wakefield, MA, got a head start on filling the bus in June. The company collected clothing and filled a school bus with all of the donations to support local children and teens in need. Community members can now join Catie’s Closet’s Fill the Bus initiative now through September 30 to help the organization collect 100,000 items to serve students during the start of the new school year. Photo credit: Jon Washer