Care Closet held a week-long fundraiser before spring break to help sponsor two students’ prom plans.
From March 18 to March 22, the club held candy sales during each lunch hour to raise money for two prom dresses and gift cards to local restaurants. Though they raised enough for the dresses, the cards are still a work in progress.
Junior member Colin Walsh pitched the idea to the creator of the club, junior Veda Kommineni, because of his mom’s affiliation with the Junior Service Club, which collects dresses for prom every year to give to girls who may not have the means to buy one themselves.
“I thought it would be an amazing thing for our club to do,” Walsh said. “We help out with a lot of women shelters and organizations, so I thought this would also be a very great fundraiser considering the foundation of our club.”
According to junior member Alli Williamson, the club’s focus is to help people in the school and community by making care packages and organizing fundraisers and food drives for homeless shelters and food pantries.
“If [care packages] go to women’s shelters, typically there’s feminine hygiene products,” Williams said. “If they go to homeless shelters, typically various hygiene products or food.”
On April 11, the club held a dine-to-donate at MOD Pizza, and on April 12, they’ll be donating 50 sack lunches to a homeless shelter in St. Louis on April 12. These sack lunches will include peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made by club members and anyone wishing to gain volunteer hours.
Fundraising that involves student collaboration, like the sack lunches, is what drew Williamson interest in opportunities the club.
“It provides a lot of service opportunities and allows people to interact,” she said. “The service opportunities are extremely fun and fairly relaxed.”
As for the prom fundraiser, Kommineni plans to incorporate it into next year’s prom, and possibly homecoming, festivities as well.
“I think a lot more kids need help in this are than we predict, and these dances’ expenses can add up,” Kommineni said. “I’d hate for any kid to be left out due to financial status, so I’m willing to do anything to help in any way I can.”
