Local business donates winter apparel for Siouxland students
A campaign that keeps hundreds of Siouxland students warm during the cold winter months wrapped up this morning.
The “Clothes the Gap” campaign is organized by the Sioux City Community Schools Foundation and the Sioux City Community School District.
Sioux City Community Schools Foundation Director of Operations, Miyuki Nelson, said the community, along with several businesses, have been donating coats, gloves, scarves, and mittens since November.
On Thursday, they picked up donations from some of their remaining sponsors, including Fleet Farm. Store employees, and the community raised over $1,000 and were able to purchase over three dozen coats.
“This building was built in 2018, but the heartbeat of the store and our team members have deep ties to the community they have lived here for a long time so for us to be able to give back to the community it represents what we stand for here at Fleet Farm,” said Fleet Farm General Manager Troy McKenna.
Nelson said they are grateful for the generous donations they have been able to collect this season.
“The foundation works really hard to be able to provide coats and these warm clothing items So that they can focus on studying versus worrying about whether they should go to school because it’s cold outside,” said Director of Operations Miyuki Nelson.
Nelson said, on average, 67% of the Sioux City Community School District’s students need assistance.