BASKING RIDGE, NJ—The Church of Saint James is teaming with a local nonprofit to collect children’s clothing Oct. 1-3 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of its inaugural Children’s Clothing Drive for local kids.
Local nonprofit Cherubs & Angels is coordinating the drive, which has a specific, unique goal.
“We want to get as much of this clothing as we can to local kids,” said Cherubs & Angels founder Kathleen Lubarsky. “As directly as possible.”
Lubarsky said she has coordinated large clothing and toy drives in the past, including last year, when she collected 10,000 toys for children in New Brunswick and Newark. But a conversation with a volunteer at a local food pantry about how many people in the area are food insecure gave her an idea.
“I realized if people can’t feed their kids over the summer, what are they going to do when the winter comes?” said Lubarsky. “Kids grow so fast, if they grow out of a winter coat, then what?”
Lubarsky said she hopes to get a few hundred large bags full of donations this weekend. Those will be sorted and distributed directly to local children in need.
“Believe it or not,” she said, “there are plenty of kids in need in this area.”
Anyone who can donate to drop off useable winter coats, boots, warm pants and shirts, gloves, mittens, socks, underwear, and winter shoes or boots. Donations can be dropped at the church vestibule entrance near the parking lot at 184 S. Finley Ave. in Basking Ridge.