Cradles to Crayons, an East Falls nonprofit serving children from birth to age 18, provides essentials such as school supplies, winter coats, hygiene items, and more to help children feel safe, confident, and ready to learn, writes Chandler Lutz for CBS News Philadelphia.
The organization’s work is vital in Philadelphia, frequently ranked among the nation’s poorest cities and home to thousands of families struggling to meet even the most basic needs.
“We’ve got families in the city and in pockets all over the region who don’t have a pair of shoes that fit,” said Michal Smith, executive director of Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia. “You don’t want a 14-year-old boy wearing his aunt’s coat.”
The nonprofit ensures that children have age-appropriate clothes they can feel proud about wearing.
The Giving Factory, a bustling warehouse powered by volunteers, is at the heart of the operation. There, items are donated, inspected, sorted, and packaged into personalized bags, each containing a week’s worth of clothing.
“We rely on the entire Greater Philadelphia community to help us do this work,” said Smith. “We are powered by volunteers.”
Prepared packages are distributed through the organization’s network of more than 170 service partners.
Read more about Cradles to Crayons and the dividends it pays for the region’s children at CBS News Philadelphia.
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