During the 2025-26 school (and fiscal) year, our tenth in service to Salem students, we continued to grow, serving more than 1,100 students via in-school closets, a significant increase over last school year when we served approximately 700. We added several new programs, outlined in the notes below. 

BOARD 
Co-founder Colette Loux stepped down from the board after nearly a decade of service, which included not only starting the organization out of Carlton School but also coming up with our name and singlehandedly launching our in-school closets program, which hugely increased our ability to serve.

Arielle Gronner stepped down as treasurer after seven years of service, which included creating our accounting system, overseeing our transition to a 501(c)(3), and managing all of our tax activities. Jessica Fox, a longtime volunteer, replaced Arielle as treasurer. 

Arielle and Colette put many hours into supporting and growing The Clothing Connection, and we would not be where we are today without them.

Arabelis Luciano joined the board representing the Family Engagement program, Liz Yoder joined the board representing the City Connects program, replacing Heather Perry (thank you Heather!), and Zoe Ulrich joined the board representing Salem Academy. Susanna Baird (co-president and co-founder), Vickie Dawson (secretary, SHS co-coordinator), Jenni Espinal (community rep.), Beth Forrestal (co-president and co-founder), Taina Javier (high school rep), and Yvonne Jones (purchasing chair) continued to serve.

PRIMARY PROGRAMS
We kicked off the year handing out underwear at Back to School Night. During the school year, coordinators Susanna Baird, Kim Falchek, Holly Macone, Angel Nelson, Kim Falchek, Michelle Finamore, Alexa Ogno, and Ann-Elizabeth Young served nearly 400 primary students. In January, we added programs at the Pathways Pre-K located at HMLS and two SPS-affiliated Pre-K classrooms at the Salem YMCA. At the end of the year, we set up temporary bins for the summer program at HMLS, emptied the closet at Carlton in anticipation of the move-in of New Liberty and Salem Prep to the building in the fall, and emptied the closet at Saltonstall so the school can be cleaned in anticipation of the merger with Carlton to form the new Remond school in the fall. Under the leadership of Storehouse Manager Jessica Kane, we transitioned our storehouse at First Church into a space serving Primary programs only. 

SECONDARY PROGRAMS
During the school year, coordinators Vickie Dawson, Kim Falchek, Jean Karam, Amanda McLaughlin, and Jean Marie Procious served more than 600 secondary students. In January, we added a program at Salem Academy. In the spring, Collins and SACS tested pop-up events, which were very successful. SHS continues to find success reaching students with a weekly lunchtime open closet “shopping” period. 

STOREHOUSE & DROPS
Jessica Kane, storehouse manager, and Co-President Beth Forrestal launched our drops program at First Church, hosting used clothing drops twice a month during the school year, growing our gently-used-clothing intake program. The program was a big success, not only saving us thousands of dollars in clothing purchases but also increasing awareness of The Clothing Connection and bringing in new volunteers, especially those who can’t help during the school day. 

FUNDRAISING, GRANTS: We raised just over $1,000 with a virtual fundraiser in the fall. Establishing a fundraising chair/committee is a key future goal.

We received in-kind donations and/or in-kind assistance from Bombas, Bras for Girls, Cocotree Kids, Cradles to Crayons, Eleventh House Vintage, First Church in Salem, the employees of JM Electrical, Pathways, Salem Kids’ Clothing Swap, and Timmy’s Angels. 

We were awarded grants and/or received cash donations from the employees of JM Electrical, the Lindsay Trust, Institution for Savings, Salem Children’s Charity, Stop & Shop (via their Community Bag Program), Tabernacle Congregational Church, and TruNorth Bank, as well as a number of individual/private donors.