Sudbury schools collecting gently used winter clothing to help others

Schools in Sudbury are looking for used winter clothes.

The Rainbow District School Board is participating in its third annual Winter Clothing Drive.

The campaign provides children and others in the community with warm clothes during the winter, Chris Bourré, principal of Walden Public School says.

"We know that when families are struggling, students struggle along with them. From simply even just an educational standpoint, these students come to school with one less worry on their plate."

The community is invited to drop off used winter clothing at any elementary or secondary school within the Rainbow District School Board, which includes Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island.

Donations will be accepted until the end of the month. 

Clothing will then be redistributed within the schools and communities served by the Board.

In addition to schools, the donations will also redistributed through a storefront location at the Rainbow Centre during the first week of November.

"Maybe it's only a hat or only boots that they need or maybe for that family and their children, it is to completely clothe them for the winter. Based on the distribution events in the past years, we know that families are incredibly grateful," Bourré says.

The goal this year is to help 4,500 families.

Last year, Rainbow schools collected 5,478 items of clothing, which helped more than 3,600 families during the winter.

"We're wanting to make sure that all of the children in our community, all of the adults ... in our community are warm and not having to struggle to keep warm."