Building off of its success here at The Morgan School, the Kindness Closet club is now being integrated into Jared Eliot Middle School. With the club’s expansion, it is able to further support the Clinton community through donated goods and services, while also ensuring that all students feel seen and supported.
The idea arose about a month ago when freshman member Emilia Jacobson brought it up to the club’s advisor, Laura Luther. “She told me she was driving to school that day, and she had passed Jared Eliot and thought that same exact thing,” said Jacobson.
Luther was immediately on board as soon as the idea surfaced. “That morning I was saying to myself we’re doing a good job here, but I think we could do better by going down there, because there aren’t just students in need here…then Emilia brought it up and I was psyched,” said Luther.
A Profile and Performance report revealed that in the past ten years, the amount students eligible for free or reduced price lunches has increased by twenty percent at both the high school and the middle school. Data from the 2024-2025 school year report highlights the growing need, particularly at the middle school. This can be seen as the eligibility rates reach 47.6% at Jared Eliot, in comparison to 40% here at Morgan.
Students who struggle with food and clothing insecurity often do not advocate for themselves because of the fear of embarrassment. In an article for EducationWeek from 2023, Ariana Prothero noted that “older students are less likely to participate in school meals, despite being more likely to experience food insecurity.”
There is a large stigma around this, and when trying to get involved with programs for assistance people often “report negative emotions, like shame, anger, and isolation,” writes Corissa Raymond in an article for Behavioral Health News.
Grace Holecz, a junior member of the club, finds that by implementing this program in the middle school, students will earlier understand that they can receive support without having to openly share their personal experiences. “We have really helped a huge amount of students with food and clothes, but have also made them feel comfortable because they don’t have to tell people that they are receiving these items.”
This issue of insecurity especially became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, since students who were dependent on school lunches no longer had access to the food. In a report for No Kid Hungry, it was found that “even before the pandemic, 59% of teens said they ate school meals every day.”
To counteract this, USDA waivers were sent out to families to ensure that they could safely access food. They allowed for parents to pick up meals for their children not only during the school year, but during the summer as well. However, in 2022, the waivers were cancelled, forcing schools to return to the same system as before the pandemic. This left many families, including those in Clinton, in the same predicament they were in beforehand.
Even with the help offered to families in the recent years, “Nearly 1 in 5 (18.4 percent) households with children were food insecure in 2024, significantly higher than the 12.5 percent in 2021, when robust pandemic relief measures helped drive the rate down,” reports the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Kindness Closet’s efforts demonstrate how a local program can help reverse these effects and make a larger impact, one student at a time.
In the past couple weeks, Jacobson has been in contact with the principal at Jared Eliot, Kristin LaLima. LaLima was in favor of the idea, and the two have been working to figure out how to get a similar program started. “I have been in touch with her…I made a google form for her to send to the support staff there to get a better understanding of what we need to get and where we want to begin.”
To ensure the integration will be a success, getting the younger students involved and promoting its significance is a priority. “The club, though very helpful, is not too popular because people don’t have a motive to join since it doesn’t directly benefit them…but by showing the students how it can help their peers, it will give them a different view and hopefully get them to join,” said Jacobson.
When Luther first began Kindness Closet, she “learned that we needed funds if we wanted to reach our goals,” said Luther. This would be another aspect of the expansion, but she quickly found a solution. “We started to apply for grants…as well as solicit donations from the school community.”
The Kindness Closet’s integration into the middle school could be an important achievement as students of all ages need support. By introducing the concept of resources available to children earlier, it can reduce the stigma associated with seeking help. As Jacobson put it, “We just want to make sure everybody feels seen and supported, and spread the message of inclusivity.”
