The Sharing Shelf was founded to address clothing insecurity and meet the basic material needs of low-income children and teens in Westchester County.

Clothing is a basic essential that we need to participate in our daily lives. Yet, across our community, many children and teens lack access to sufficient and appropriate clean clothing. They also lack every day necessities such as socks, underwear, shoes, a toothbrush, or a bar of soap.  

Children who are clothing insecure often miss school. Nearly 14% of Westchester children are chronically absent from school and clothing is one critical cause. When they are in school,  they are more likely to endure bullying and suffer from low self-esteem. Chronic absenteeism and low self-esteem negatively impact a child’s academic success and, by high school, these students are more likely to drop-out, with lifelong economic, social and emotional consequences. Sadly, clothing insecurity disproportionately impacts children of color.