More than 11 million children in the United States live in poverty, including about 403,000 children in North Carolina (or 18% of the state’s children). An estimated 2 in 5 U.S. children are clothing insecure, which means they don’t have access to clean, well-fitting and seasonally appropriate clothes that are necessary to attend and succeed in school.
Note’s survey found that social workers are seeing the greatest need among elementary school aged students (6-11), with shoes (72%), pants (70%) and jackets (59%) most frequently selected as top needs by those serving children in poverty.
The survey also found that social workers outside of Western North Carolina are gearing up to provide clothes to children displaced due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. About 14% of the Raleigh-Durham social worker respondents are already serving such families and more than half (62.3%) report that they expect to serve families displaced to the Triangle-area because of Hurricane Helene. For those expecting to serve displaced families, 100% also expected the displaced families would be in need of clothing.
For children without clothes, clothing insecurity often manifests in troubling and serious ways in the classroom including absenteeism (reported by 51% of respondents), bullying (reported by 26%) and other impacts to mental health (about 50% reported their students have concerned about wearing clothes that aren’t clean).
These heartbreaking stories are happening in rural areas, in cities, in towns and in every region of the state. Too often, social workers and teachers are left without help to respond. There is no state or federal support for clothing needs in North Carolina, including socks and underwear for children.
In particular, the inability to wash clothes is a problem reported by two-thirds of social workers.
Note in the Pocket recently delivered its one millionth item of free clothing to children and families in need. It provides each member of the family with a mini wardrobe tailored to their sizes and needs, along with laundry detergent.
“We have long wished that every North Carolina community had a similar service to let children know they are valued and loved,” Bonavita said. “Today, we are taking the first steps to help communities make it a reality so every child in our state can arrive at school feeling confident and ready to thrive.”
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About Note in the Pocket: Note in the Pocket is a nonprofit organization with the mission to provide quality clothing to homeless and impoverished children and families with dignity and love. With two locations in Raleigh and Durham, the organization served over 10,000 children and adults in 2023 with new and gently used clothing items to foster confidence, self-worth and overall well-being.
Raleigh, N.C. — A survey conducted by Note in the Pocket, a clothing nonprofit serving school children living in poverty and homelessness, reveals the devastating impacts North Carolina students are facing because their families can’t afford clean, well-fitting and seasonally appropriate clothes.