Many organizations across Massachusetts are in need of assistance, and one nonprofit in the Merrimack Valley says donations are depleting as a result of the rise in child poverty, homelessness and the arrivals of migrants to the region.
For almost 15 years, Catie's Closet has helped 90,000 low-income students in schools all over Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
"Catie's Closet was created to solve a major problem and a barrier to education and that is access to clothing and basic necessities," said CEO Mickey Cockrell.
She added that the organization's SOS Urgent Response Program is experiencing unprecedented increase in special requests, especially since Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency last August amid the influx of migrants seeking shelter.
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"Probably at the beginning of 2023, we were supporting around 50 to 100 kids in a month, and now, it would be more like weekly," Cockrell said.
At one moment, Catie's Closet had more than 1,000 children on the SOS Urgent Response waitlist and was unable to fill orders due to lack of funding.
"It's tough to close your eyes at night knowing that there might be a child in need who is just wondering why they got the short end of the straw," she said.
Caties Closet is a DRK Foundation portfolio organization. DRK finds, funds and supports social impact entrepreneurs currently impacting 400 million lives. To learn visit drkfoundation.org.
More on the migrant crisis in Massachusetts
The International Institute of New England says it has recently served around 3,000 migrants.
"Specifically making sure all those clients are connected with public cash assistance, food stamps, TFDC," said Caroline Rowe, managing director of IINE's Lowell site.
She says organizations like Catie's Closet are essential for the families she works with, especially since migrants are only getting around $530 a month.
"We cannot do refugee resettlement without a community and a network of organizations and other nonprofits, the schools, the health centers," Rowe said.
The hope is to deliver special packages to the schools that requested them within 48 hours. Inside the customized bags, kids will find up to two weeks of clothing and other basic essentials.
Catie's Closet says the best way to help is by donating on its website.
