When the holidays pass and the calendar flips to January, the needs of the School of Natural Resources’ neighbors just up the block at Clinton Elementary School don’t end. Instead, they shift at the school, where 95 percent of its 500 students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch and where a higher percentage of families live in poverty than much of Lincoln.
It’s why just one month after the end of the annual Caring for Clinton clothing drive, the SNR Community Engagement Committee is hosting “Caring for Clinton: After the Holidays,” a drive through Feb. 13 to provide basic necessities for children at the school on Holdrege Street.
Included on the list of needs are:
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Soap: bath, hand and dish
- Toothpaste, toothbrushes and floss
- Baby wipes
- Laundry detergent
- Toilet paper
- Diapers — regular and overnight, in all sizes
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Feminine hygiene products
Donations can be dropped off in the Hardin Hall first-floor lobby in provided bins. Gift cards to the Dollar Tree and cash or checks also will be accepted. Checks should be written out to "Foundation for Lincoln Public Schools" with "Clinton Emergency Fund" on the ledger line. Checks can also be sent to:
- Nebraska Maps and More Store
Attn: Lisa Greif (Caring for Clinton)
101 Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege St.
Lincoln, NE 68583-0961
Cash donations are used to purchase needed supplies that have run short from the school’s family care office. Gift cards are given to families when emergencies arise, and they need that extra boost to make ends meet.
“I know I say this every year, but the needs this year are even greater,” Linda Kern, family care coordinator for the school, said during the December drop-off of winter clothing and goods from SNR. “We started passing out coats and clothing in October.”
Kern said the school sees new students weekly, as families move into and out of the district throughout the school year as their circumstances change. She doesn’t anticipate needs diminishing anytime soon.
Since 2007, the School of Natural Resources has hosted a warm-clothing drive for the school; this marks the first after-holiday toiletry drive.