Redford Union School District has launched a new program to help students and their families by offering laundry services and essentials such as food and personal hygiene products.
Within Beech Elementary School, a space called the "Fresh Den" houses these services, aiming to remove barriers that may affect a student's confidence and attendance, as "Students who have clean clothes and access to food and hygiene needs are more apt to come to school than those that don't. You know, their bullying rates go down. Culture, climate builds, and social relationships build," Melissa Nickel, principal at Beech Elementary School, said in a statement obtained by CBS News Detroit. With washers and dryers installed in every school building in the district, funded by the American Rescue Plan, students and their families can drop off clothes which are then washed, folded, and returned within two days, Nickel told ClickOnDetroit.
The district also runs a food pantry and offers personal hygiene products to address not only cleanliness but also food insecurity and self-care needs, Jessica Miller, coordinator of Social-Emotional Learning at Redford Union Schools, told WXYZ; the empathy behind this initiative is noted by Nickel who stated, "Every single person that I've ever met in my life has, at one point in time, needed something, right? Some support or some help," an ethos captured by CBS News Detroit.
About 8% of the district's population is in foster care or homeless, magnifying the necessity of such initiatives; the program relies on community donations including socks, underwear, winter clothing, pasta sauce, canned goods, and hygiene products. Donations can be dropped off at the school or the central administration office located at 17715 Brady Street, Redford Township, MI 48240, Nickel explained, and the goal is to expand services further in the future by adding more laundry units to accommodate more families, as per information from WXYZ.
During the upcoming winter break, a pressing concern is ensuring students have access to meals with the district distributing food and even toys for the festive season, to make certain the well-being of students continues beyond the school environment, illustrating the district's holistic approach to education and care which entails beyond just academic concerns, as Nickel emphasized in a report by ClickOnDetroit. Interested individuals can reach out to Melissa Nickel at 313-242-6101 or via email for contributions.
