The day that Jenny Gibson-Linkh, principal at Evans High School in Orange County, discovered a student washing her clothes in the bathroom sink after school was the day she realized that clothing was a significant need among her homeless students. It\u2019s estimated that more than 10,000 students in Orange and Osceola counties are homeless and are faced with many challenges \u2013 both personally and academically.<\/p>\n
Evans High Principl Unpacking\u201cIt\u2019s not just about dressing to look good or feel good, although that is significant to a student\u2019s self-esteem, but it\u2019s also to improve attendance, to provide the opportunity to stay on track academically, to graduate and ultimately move on to that next step in life. We may not think of clothing as a significant need, until you\u2019re the one without it.\u201d<\/p>\n
In October 2014, Heart of Florida United Way launched Dress2Learn, a clothing program for homeless students in Orange and Osceola counties. As a result of the program this year, more than 5,400 homeless students across 250 schools received new Levi\u2019s brand apparel. Jeans, khakis, shorts, polo tops and graphic tees were distributed to K-12 children in need. Not only is it about attendance and performance in school, but it\u2019s also about relieving the financial burden of purchasing clothing for growing kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen parents are concerned about keeping a roof over their kids\u2019 heads and putting food on the table, clothing is a need that gets pushed down the priority list,\u201d said Robert H. (Bob) Brown, president & CEO of Heart of Florida United Way. \u201cThrough Dress2Learn, we hope to level the playing field for our homeless students and allow them and their familiesDSC_0285 to focus on next steps beyond their current situation \u2013 whether that\u2019s graduating or regaining stability.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evans High senior Romicha Baker was one of the 5,400 recipients of the Dress2Learn program.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad that I have the help because there are people who make jokes out of what you wear and pick on you,\u201d Romicha said. \u201cIt makes it harder to be in an environment where you\u2019re supposed to learn when people are laughing and then get the whole class laughing at you. I used to worry about that. I\u2019d go into class quiet, sit in the back so I wouldn\u2019t have anyone laughing at me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not only did Dress2Learn provide Romicha with a new set of fitting clothes, but also a renewed sense of hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I heard about [Dress2Learn], I thought this would be a way for me to actually sit up front and not have to worry about what other people have to say and try to graduate like the others.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easy to see the interconnectedness of United Way\u2019s focus areas \u2013 education, income, health and basic needs \u2013 through Dress2Learn. A balance must be achieved in all four of those areas for stability. Although, United Way believes that education is the change maker: get kids to focus in school, they may be able to break the cycle. And sometimes, it\u2019s something as small as a new t-shirt to get them there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think sometimes we forget that it\u2019s the little things that make the biggest difference in education,\u201d said Gibson-Linkh. \u201cWe focus on test scores \u2026 we focus on curriculum \u2026 we focus on all the assessment, and sometimes we forget about the child. We forget about the basic necessities. We forget about them as a human. Dress2Learn brings it back to them and puts them first. I\u2019m glad we\u2019re doing this because our students should always be first.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The day that Jenny Gibson-Linkh, principal at Evans High School in Orange County, discovered a student washing her clothes in the bathroom sink after school was the day she realized that clothing was a significant need among her homeless students. It\u2019s estimated that more than 10,000 students in Orange and Osceola counties are homeless and are faced with many challenges \u2013 both personally and academically. Evans High Principl Unpacking\u201cIt\u2019s not just about dressing to look good or feel good, although…<\/span><\/p>\n