July 30, 2019
By: Dwayne Page
After registration for the new school year Tuesday evening, sixth graders at DeKalb Middle School and their parents got to shop for clothes as the Saint Bernard Boulevard Clothing Market opened for business in the gym.
Suzette Barnes and Angela Johnson, sponsors of the DMS Student Council said the clothing market was started two years ago as a way of serving students who were in need of clothes and shoes.
“We saw a need at the beginning of the school year a couple of years ago where students needed clothes and shoes so we felt like it was a worthy cause. We started working together to get people to help us volunteer to make it happen,” said Johnson.
“We collected clothes during the summer and have now set up a store in our gym where the students can shop,” said Barnes.
After the clothes and shoes were collected, they were sorted and grouped according to sizes and displayed in the gym where the students can now shop free of charge.
Sixth graders and their families got the first opportunity to shop Tuesday evening. Seventh and eighth graders will get their turn Thursday morning, August 1st after registration.
“This is for Middle School sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students and we allow their families to shop too if they need clothing or materials. Any child is eligible. We open it up for our entire school. Any of our students can come and participate in it. We try to furnish shoes, jackets, and any type of clothing as well as backpacks,” said Barnes.
“We have also collected personal hygiene products to send home with some of the students such as deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc.,” added Johnson.
“It has really been successful in the previous two years we have done this. We even have grandparents who are raising their grandchildren and they need clothes and supplies so we have been able to supply them during their times of need when they bring the kids in to register for school,” Barnes continued.