The CU Schools Foundation, United Way, Urbana School District #116, and Champaign Unit 4 School District are launching a new campaign to help students succeed. Operation Caring Closets lets community members support area students by purchasing essential school supplies online and shipping them to the Urbana or Champaign school districts. Throughout the school year, the districts will then distribute the items to students in need, for free, at one or more “caring closets.” These closets will be stocked with essential items—such as clothing, hygiene and miscellaneous school supplies—that many students cannot access or afford.

“Many children do not have warm winter clothes, basic hygiene and grooming products, and other items needed to succeed at school. It’s a large and often invisible problem,” said Kelly Hill, Executive Director of the CU Schools Foundation. “Access to these items can make an immediate impact in a student’s life today and set them up for success in the years ahead.”

The Urbana and Champaign school districts each determined the items most needed by their students and created separate Amazon Wish Lists. Community members can see the lists and purchase items online at www.cuschoolsfoundation.org/caring. Items on the wish list include winter gloves and
jackets, soap, shoes, toothpaste, pens and pencils. The school districts hope that Operation Caring Closets will become the go-to location for generous community members who want to donate to students throughout the school year.

“Each year, our districts rely on the generosity of residents, businesses, and organizations to make essential supplies available to students, but sometimes there’s a mismatch between perceived needs and actual needs,” said Dr. Shelia Boozer, Superintendent of Champaign Unit 4 Schools, and Dr. Jennifer
Ivory-Tatum, Superintendent of Urbana School District #116. “Now, with Operation Caring Closets, we can communicate directly with the community about what our students need and ensure that all donated items are used.”

Operation Caring Closets is also supported by United Way of Champaign County, which is helping to get the word out and strategize on the campaign’s long-term goals. “Our goal is to see all children succeed in school – and these supplies will help them do their best. It’s critically important that we make sure Operation Caring Closets is sustainable and successful,” said Sue Grey, President & CEO of United Way of Champaign County. “That means making sure the community knows about this amazing opportunity to improve children’s lives and keeping the campaign flexible to meet future needs. We are proud to be part of that process.”

Operation Caring Closets is now underway and will run through September 30. Those who wish to support the project can visit www.cuschoolsfoundation.org/caring to purchase items or make a general donation toward the caring closets.