This year, Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County will celebrate the official start of the charitable giving season on #GivingTuesday!
On Tuesday, November 29 individuals, communities and organizations around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.
Get involved on #GivingTuesday and help Clothes To Kids make a difference for low-income and in-crisis students in Fairfield County. $50 provides one child with a full week’s worth of school clothes.
Join CTKF on #GivingTuesday, November 29, 2016.
#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community and your company to come together to give something more. Then tell everyone you can about how you are giving. Join the movement!
Read the Stamford Advocate’s wonderful piece on the Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County, and the opening of our new store (published October 13, 2016).
Here’s an excerpt:
One of the first customers Thursday was Stamford resident Tania Milla, who was picking out clothes for her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. “My daughter really needs winter clothes, she said, as she browsed through the girl’s section. Milla praised the organization and said she’s already spreading the word to her friends. ‘This is very good for the people who need it’, she said.
The Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County (CTKF) store opened its doors to the public for a three-day open house event, September 28-30. Guest of honor Stamford Mayor David Martin led the ribbon cutting ceremony as Executive Director Elaine Rubinson proudly looked on. The CTKF team worked tirelessly over the prior four months to reach this highly anticipated moment, and were thrilled to welcome professionals from public schools, social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local companies to the open house.
The work that has gone into building, organizing, and maintaining the CTKF store is a collaborative effort from the organization’s enthusiastic founders, board members, and volunteers, all of whom are dedicated to its mission: to provide new or gently used clothing to children in critical need in grades K-12 in Fairfield County communities, all free of charge.
This summer the team was hard at work securing donations, spreading awareness throughout the community, establishing operational and fundraising plans, and renovating the store in order to create a larger, more functional space. Upon stepping foot inside the newly finished and fully stocked CTKF Store, located in Stamford’s Yerwood Center-Boys & Girls Club, shoppers are greeted with a warm, bright, and welcoming atmosphere. Tidy racks and cubbies are filled with clean, quality clothing. Fun, colorful signage and an easy-to-navigate layout for both youth and young adult clothing, are clear indicators that this space has been well-prepared for shoppers. The “back room” serves as a work space where incoming donations from retail stores, individual donors, and community drives can be washed, sorted, hung up on hangers, placed in bins, or folded.
Elaine Rubinson brings her social service background and expertise to CTKF. She possesses an awareness and understanding that there are circumstances in which it may be financially challenging for parents/guardians to provide new clothing for their children, and is committed to giving families access to well-fitting clothing, free of charge. Over 33% of school age children living in Fairfield County are eligible to shop in the store, which indicates that many families in these communities can benefit from CTKF’s services.
Families and children seeking clothing will find friendly, upbeat and knowledgeable volunteers ready to assist them with their overall shopping experience. CTKF volunteers include high school teens, college students, church and bible study groups, individual community members, local professionals, and those who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of youth.
We are always looking for new volunteers! If you are interested in volunteering your time to collect or sort items, host a drive, provide operational support, be a personal shopper, or donate gently used/new clothing, please contact Elaine Rubinson at (203) 533-9846 or info@clothestokidsfairfieldcounty.org.
Please consider joining us as we continue in our efforts to clothe a child, change a life!
Do you know a school child (K-12) in Fairfield County who needs clothing? Visit the Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County open house to learn how they can receive two free wardrobes a year!
Our mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to students from low-income or in-crisis families. Students receiving free or reduced lunch letter are eligible to shop at CTKF. Referrals are made by approved community advocates, such as teachers, guidance counselors, and social workers.
Please swing by the new CTKF Store if you are interested in referring a student or a family, or want to learn more about Clothes To Kids. We’d love to meet you!
CTKF Open House
September 28, 29, and 30 — 12:00-2:00pm Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County Store Located in the Yerwood Center-Boys & Girls Club 90 Fairfield Avenue, Stamford Google map
Stop by on the 29th for a ribbon cutting ceremony with Stamford Mayor David Martin, Mike Cotela (Executive Director of the Yerwood Center-Boys & Girls Club), and Elaine Rubinson (Executive Director of Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County).
Join Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County as we host our first annual Cook for Kids Fundraiser!
December 1, 2016 6-8pm @ Aitoro in Norwalk CT
Come prepared for a special evening filled with great food and great wine. Watch local chefs in action as they prepare their favorite appetizers. Silent auction and live music too.
All proceeds will benefit Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County.
An energetic group of coaches from Youth Elite Soccer (YES), a Shelton-based company specializing in developing, leading, and staffing youth soccer programs across the country, spent the morning volunteering at the Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County store. The YES coaches teach, empower, and inspire youth on a daily basis, and the Clothes To Kids mission is one they were delighted to support.
The team of coaches were eager to lend their help wherever needed. They were busy assembling clothing racks for the store, sorting through boxes of donations and hanging clothing, rearranging furniture, and moving heavy items to and from the warehouse. Volunteers play an essential role in our organization and the assistance provided by the coaches, in preparing the store for future shoppers, was greatly appreciated. Their volunteer day was coordinated by another dedicated CTK volunteer, Kristen Cognetta. Thank you Kristen!
We are busy getting ready to open the new Clothes To Kids Store for back-to-school shoppers. The store is located at the Yerwood Center-Boys & Girls Club in downtown Stamford.
First let us just say, thank you! Your recent grant support means you understand just how important it is to provide new and quality used clothing to low-income and in-crisis school age children in Fairfield County. We envision a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so that he or she may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success. With more than 47,600 children, or approximately 33.5% of school age children in Fairfield County eligible to receive free or reduced-price school lunches, we have our work cut out for us.
The Newman’s Own Foundation grant funds will be put to immediate use. We are busy stocking our new Clothes To Kids store, as we prepare to open for back-to-school shoppers. Every eligible child may shop twice a year for a week’s worth of clothing, all free of charge. Families will shop by appointment, and shoppers can browse a wide variety of clean, stylish, top quality clothing to select what they like best. Dressing rooms will be provided to ensure a comfortable fit.
Get to know Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County and join us for a free brunch on May 15!
We’re excited to share our story with members of the community. Come to learn more about our organization and our many volunteer opportunities.
We will also be accepting clothing donations, so jump into your spring cleaning early and bring any clothing donations for kids (K-12th grade) with you! See our complete list of accepted items.
Clothes To Kids was founded in 2002 in Clearwater, Florida. Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County is a new affiliate, started in fall 2015 to serve low-income or in-crisis school age children in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Our mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to these children, all free of charge.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.
Look no further than your own closet for donations to Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County’s first ever “Spring Clean Your Closets” Clothing Drive, April 30-May 14, 2016.
Do you have clothing that no longer fits?  Or perhaps some things you haven’t worn for a while? Take this opportunity to perform a deep cleanse on your closet! Items that you no longer need may be an absolute treasure to someone else.
What we need
Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County gladly accepts quality new and gently-used clothing and shoes that would be appropriate for kids (grades K-12) to wear to school.
All items and sizes are needed at this time. Please ensure they are clean and in good condition:
