Clothes To Kids Corner | Spring Newsletter 2017

Please enjoy the March 2017 issue of “Clothes To Kids Corner”, the new online newsletter of Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County!

Highlights:

Winter Happenings

  • Warm Clothes, Warm Hearts!
  • Host a “Drop Your Drawers” Donation Basket
  • Service Spotlight:  “What it’s like to volunteer for CTKF” Video

Upcoming Fundraisers

  • Fairfield County Giving Day 03.09.17
  • Health & Wellness Fundraiser 05.11.17

24 Hours to Give Where You Live! Fairfield County Giving Day is 03.09.17

Come together with other donors in the region during this 24-hour event and make an incredibly powerful, collective impact by supporting your favorite local nonprofits.

Last year, our first year of participation in Fairfield County Giving Day, we raised over $2,300. This year Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County hopes to recruit as many individual donors as possible to help us win the $20,000 grand prize for the organization that receives the highest number of $10+ donations from individual donors.

On March 9th:

  • Go to FCGives.org
  • Donate $10 or more to Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County
  • Spread the word!  #FairfieldCountyGives

$50 will provide one child with a full week’s worth of school clothes. Give where you live on March 9th and help us reach our goals!

Register in advance and we’ll send you a reminder email :^)

Calling All Shopaholics!

Do you love to shop for bargains? If so, then becoming a Garage Sale Donation Finder for Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County could be the perfect project for you! CTKF has fun upcoming volunteer opportunities this spring and summer for anyone who loves to shop for a good deal!


Cynthia Iriondo, a CTKF volunteer from South Windsor CT, is a tag sale shopping expert. Check out this photo of just some of her awesome finds for CTKF! Cynthia identifies local tag sales in her neighborhood, and selects gently used or new clothing for CTKF’s inventory. Get involved this spring and become a Donation Finder like Cynthia.

Contact Volunteer Coordinator Nadine Baccellieri for details.

Start Your Own Drive at a Starbucks Near You!

CTKF has set up collection baskets at several Starbucks locations in Fairfield County, and we are looking for volunteers to help us continue to organize drives at Starbucks across the county! New packages of underwear, boxers, and socks are accepted in baskets on behalf of CTKF clients inside Starbucks stores. Items ranging from youth to adult sizes are collected for both boys and girls, ages 5-18 years old! If you are a frequent Starbucks customer, or have a desire to help children in need have access to these necessities, contact us to get your drive started!

Prefer to donate new socks or underwear? Current participating Starbucks Coffee locations ready to accept drop-offs include:

  • 1079 High Ridge Rd, Stamford, CT
  • 96 Broad St, Stamford, CT
  • 90 Danbury Rd, Ridgefield, CT

Download the Drop Your Drawers poster (11″x 17″)

 

Stanwich School Students Give Back!

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A group of 11 sixth grade students and history teacher, Will Colombo, from the Stanwich School of Greenwich, CT, came ready to help in the CTKF Store this week. Stanwich School students volunteer their time once a month in the store to lend their assistance wherever it may be needed. CTKF’s Volunteer Coordinator Nadine Baccellieri kept the group motivated as they worked together on projects such as ensuring an abundance of coats would be available for clients, organizing the cubicles filled with new packages of underwear and socks, refolding pajamas and shirts into neat stacks, and keeping the shoe sizes in proper order. As with a retail store, tidying up and displaying more items for shoppers is important. Maintaining the store is a task that requires enthusiasm, and this group had just that! Thank you Stanwich students and Will Colombo for a job well done!
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpZW1sw_Zs8[/embedyt]

CTKF’s First Annual “Cook For Kids” Fundraiser Recap

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On the evening of Thursday, December 1st, Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County (“CTKF”) held its first fundraising event, “Cook for Kids”. The much-anticipated event was sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors and took place at Aitoro Appliance & Electronics of Norwalk, CT. With over 170 tickets sold, by 6pm, the store was filled with community members in attendance to support CTKF. Aitoro served as the perfect space for the local chefs cooking their delicious creations. Attendees were eager to get a taste of each talented chef’s freshly prepared food.

The Blind Rhino, Romanacci, HAPA Food Truck, Via Sforza, The Mumbai Times, Osteria Romana, Chef Luis, Susan Kane Catering, Grana Pastificio, Washington Prime, Mac It, A Dash of Salt, DiMare Pastry Shop, Garelick & Herbs, Saugatuck Sweets, and Donut Crazy were among the generous and well-regarded chefs, restaurants, and bakers cooking for kids. With various chefs dispersed throughout the store, groups of attendees were drawn in around every appetizing station. The selection of foods were complimented by great quality wines provided by Giovana’s Wine & Spirits. The evening’s atmosphere was set by singer/guitarist Vinnie Ferrone as guests mingled and learned more about CTKF.

CTKF’s Executive Director Elaine Rubinson spoke about the organization’s mission, activities and progress since the grand opening on October 13th, 2016, and recognized the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford – Yerwood Clubhouse Executive Director Mike Cotela for his continued and valued support. Carolina Ahumada, a Social Service Professional at Family Centers of Greenwich, CT, shared inspiring feedback from her clients that have shopped in the store. Carolina described the joy and excitement of her clients receiving quality, clean clothing through shopping at CTKF.

 

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36qCe8-z_Jo[/embedyt]

 

Star 99.9’s radio host Anna Zapp worked her magic, keeping the crowd energized and excited as she promoted the silent auction items, the “Drop Your Cash” collection for new underwear and socks, and the raffle. Guests waited patiently for the results of the highly sought-after auction items, as they sparked lots of buzz throughout the evening. Donors included:

Southwest Airlines, Chef Luis, Morina Pilates and Yoga, Ralph Lauren, Merrill Lynch, The New York Rangers, The New York Giants, Saybrook Point Inn and Spa, Bartaco, Rizzutto’s, She lala, Evander Preston, Art of Control, Earth Animal, CST50, Julien Farel, Oak Hills Golf Club, Dream Spa, The Whelk, Quattro Pazzi, Kramer Little Expressions, JaaFar Tazi Salon, Chop Shop Cooking, Quattro Pazzi, Southern Dermatology, Indulge By Mersene, Savin Center, Okemo Mountain Resort, Big Apple Health Center,Bull’s Head Pet Hospital, Family Tree Yoga, Giovana’s Wine & Spirits, Frame and Save, Westport Eyecare Associates, Wendy and Larry Albert, Suited Co., Back 40 Mercantile, The Whelk, Elyse Brown, Total Wine & More, Colonial Framing, Muscular Therapy, Steve Berni, Estate Jewelry, Millie Rae’s and Dirt Floral.

CTKF’s first annual “Cook for Kids” proved to be a success, raising over $19,000. CTKF is extremely grateful for the wonderful support received for this event from the Fairfield County community, restaurants and chefs, local companies and businesses, and organizations. The organization would like to extend its thanks to Tony Aitoro for making this event possible. CTKF would also like to recognize its Event Committee members, Alexandra Briggs Kling, Livia Feig, Craig Wood, Carrie Franzese, Steve Berni, and Valerie Fischel, as well as the volunteers for their incredible efforts and dedication in organizing this event! Funds raised from “Cook for Kids” will go directly to the CTKF store’s operational and client clothing needs.

Join us as we make a difference in Fairfield County communities. For more about ways to get involved with CTKF, click here.

Encouraging kids to give during the holidays gets them thinking of others

The holidays can’t all be about shopping. According to News 12 Connecticut’s “Medical Minute” today, psychologists say that encouraging kids to volunteer and donate during the holidays are great ways to get them thinking about others. And they can do both for Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County. We have a number of volunteer opportunities available for kids, and making a donation in honor of someone is a great holiday gift that can given by kids and adults alike!

Jump to 0:25 to see the CTKF segment of the News 12 Medical Minute video.

 

Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving low-income or in-crisis school age children in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

We envision a community in which every child has quality clothing so that he or she may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. Our mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to low-income or in-crisis school age children, free of charge.