Student-led project removes stigma/awkwardness related to asking for help
As outdoor temperatures slowly begin to rise, a small corner at Woodstock High School has been keeping students warm all winter long.
Tucked between a glass wall and a set of stairs in the school’s library, the space is filled with racks of jackets and shelves of folded clothing, all free for students to take whenever they need them. Known simply as The Closet, the student-run project provides warm clothing to students who need it, without the awkwardness or stigma sometimes attached to asking for help.
“You can walk in whenever you want,” said Grade 12 student Hope Foster, who started the project. “You can come in, take a look, and if you find something you need, you can take it and leave. It’s completely free. There’s no pressure, no sign-up sheet, no staff member on duty, and no questions asked.”
Foster said she got the idea for The Closet last year while looking for a way to make a lasting impact before graduating. “I didn’t want to just float through high school,” she said. “I wanted to change something.”
Her desire grew during a kindergarten co-op, where she noticed some children arriving without proper winter clothing. “Some didn’t have hats. Some didn’t have mitts,” she said. “And that completely changes your winter. If you don’t have the right clothing, you dread it.”
Foster realized the problem extended into high school. “If you don’t have the proper clothing, that follows you all the way,” she said. “Our school already does an amazing backpack program for food, and I wanted to branch off from that.”
She said seeing a similar initiative at another school online helped bring the idea together. “I believe it was a school in British Columbia,” she said. “They had a huge room full of clothes, and that’s when it clicked.”
Foster applied for a grant through Planet Youth. She initially asked for $300 but received $1,000. “I was so blown away,” she said. “I’m still beyond grateful for that.”
With the funding secured, Foster worked with the school’s technology class, led by shop teacher Andrew Cole, to build shelving for the space. After months of planning and preparation, The Closet officially opened, and it didn’t take long for word to spread.
Students showed up not only to use the clothing, but also to donate. “Hundreds and hundreds of items came in right from the start,” Foster said. “We were storing it in a big closet, and at one point, you’d open the door and everything would come toppling out.”
Most donations have come from students and staff, and the quality has exceeded expectations. “It’s name-brand clothing, stuff you’d actually want to wear. Most is like new,” Foster said.
Items that weren’t suitable for high school students were donated onward to local organizations, while donated funds were used to purchase essentials such as socks and underwear.
The project relies heavily on volunteers, including fellow Grade 12 students Danielle Williams and Logan Dixon, who help organize, sort, and restock the space. “I just help with whatever she needs,” Williams said. “Seeing all the support is really great.”
Foster said it didn’t take long for students and staff to get behind the project. Whenever they needed something, the school community stepped up. “I asked for hangers one day, and within 48 hours, there were 100 sitting there waiting for me,” she said. “It makes me so happy knowing people are behind this.”
One of the most intentional decisions was to make The Closet unsupervised and open access. “I know how hard it can be to reach out and say you need something,” Foster said. “I didn’t want that to be a barrier.”
Williams said students appear comfortable using the space. “I’ll walk by and see kids in there, and they don’t look embarrassed,” she said. “They seem glad it’s there.” So far, Foster and Williams said they have heard no reports of bullying connected to the project. “If I ever did, I’d shut it down immediately,” Foster said. “That’s not something I stand for.”
The Closet operates under the umbrella of the school’s Interact club, the youth branch of Rotary, which supports a wide range of student-led community initiatives. Foster, who has been involved with Interact since Grade 9, said the club gave her the confidence, encouragement and backing to bring the idea forward.
Now in her final year, Foster is focused on sustainability. She is preparing a detailed handbook outlining how the project operates so it can continue after she graduates. She has already identified younger students interested in taking it on next year.
After seeing the impact it has had on students this year, Foster hopes the idea will expand to other schools.
“It seems like such a small gesture,” she said. “You donate a shirt and forget about it. But to another kid, that piece of clothing can be gold. This project has shown that even a small gesture can completely change somebody’s winter. It can even shift somebody’s life. That’s why I want this to keep going.”
