Students and their family members at Flatwoods Elementary School in Northport, Alabama can now shop for free clothes, shoes and toiletries without leaving campus, thanks to an in-school boutique called Flatwoods Fancy and Flatwoods Fellas. The setup resembles an upscale retail store rather than a typical donation closet, and it carries no financial eligibility requirement for families who want to use it.
A Counselor's Vision Takes Shape
The boutique was the brainchild of Meredith Lett, the school counselor at Flatwoods Elementary, who partnered with school social worker Jordan Nicholson to bring the idea to life. As reported by the Miami Herald, which cited original reporting by Gary Cosby Jr. of the Tuscaloosa News, Lett said she wanted a clothing closet with a store feel where children and parents could choose their own clothes and needed items, rather than simply receiving a bag of hand-me-downs. The two educators later expanded the idea and reached out to community partners to help stock the shelves.
As of the Miami Herald's report, Flatwoods Fancy and Flatwoods Fellas had been open for about a month. It offers primarily shoes, clothes and toiletries to students for free, according to WBRC, and students' family members can get items from the boutique as well. The station reports that toothpaste, deodorant and wipes are currently the items most in demand.
Why Fit and Choice Matter
Lett told WBRC that the boutique gives students more than just clothing that fits properly. “This is an opportunity for them to not only have something that fits, but to choose,” she said. Per the Miami Herald, Lett also said some students arrive at school in ill-fitting clothing and may feel self-conscious about it, and that the boutique serves students who are not necessarily in need, not just those facing hardship.
Lett and Nicholson learned through their work that some parents had never been able to buy new clothes for their children or let them choose what they wear, according to the Miami Herald's account. The boutique stocks sizes from newborn through adult, and the Herald reports it is meant to help students learn to distinguish between needs and wants, with students able to earn points toward items that fall into the want category.
Community Donors Stepped In
Two anonymous donors contributed funding that helped get the project off the ground, the Miami Herald reports, and Capstone Church also contributed significantly to the effort. High Socks for Hope, a Tuscaloosa-based charity founded by retired professional baseball player David Robertson, donated shoes, clothing and toiletries to help stock the boutique, according to the same report. Flatwoods Elementary is now seeking additional donations to keep the boutique stocked and growing, and the school says contributors can reach Lett at [email protected] or call the school at 205-342-2648.
Part of a Broader Local Effort
Flatwoods Fancy and Flatwoods Fellas is not the only school-based resource of its kind in the Tuscaloosa area. Educators involved with the Flatwoods boutique believe that addressing students' clothing and hygiene needs can affect their ability to learn, WBRC reports. Tuscaloosa City Schools operates the New Heights Community Resource Center, described as one of the first facilities of its kind in Alabama, which houses The Lift, a no-cost necessities shop for students and families referred by district social workers that offers brand-new clothing, shoes and accessories in its own boutique setting.
Earlier this month, Oakdale Elementary School in Tuscaloosa opened a similar resource, a “care closet” stocked with toothpaste, hygiene products, clothing and shoes, according to ABC 3340. First-grade teacher Alicia Brown said she created that closet after seeing needs among her own students, and the outlet reported that while the need isn't universal among Oakdale's 284 students, every child in the building has access to the closet if they need it.
