BALDWINSVILLE — Between inflation and supply chain issues, many families are feeling the strain on their wallets while shopping for school supplies.
This month, Clary’s Closet, Inc., is hoping to ease the burden for 10 such families with a back-to-school scavenger hunt. The Baldwinsville nonprofit is hiding 10 painted rocks among the playgrounds of its partner schools, including Elden Elementary. For each student who finds a rock, Clary’s Closet will purchase every item on the supply list provided by that student’s school.
“When you add up a school supply list, it can be like $50 or $60,” said co-founder Alysia Clary. “So many people are struggling right now.”
Alysia Clary and her husband, Mark, founded Clary’s Closet in 2019 to provide clothing essentials for school-age students in Onondaga, Cayuga and Madison counties. Clary’s Closet now partners with 78 schools across Central New York.
The idea for the rock hunt came to Clary as she lay awake one night.
“Kids are always out on the playground when school’s not in session,” she said. “I had the idea of hiding a painted rock with our logo on one side and a cute picture on the other.”
Clary connected with Baker High School student Mallory Offredi to bring the idea to life. Offredi painted the 10 rocks.
Just as Clary enlists her own children — 14-year-old Ella and 10-year old Jack — in cleaning out their wardrobes and donating gently used items to kids in need, she is hoping the rock hunt gets other children involved.
“It’s just another way to get them confidently going back to school … and let these kids know we care about them,” she said.
The contest also offers an opportunity for students in need to connect with Clary’s Closet.
“We can identify if they need clothes before they go to school,” Clary said.
Students who find a rock should send a photo to [email protected] or @clarysclosetinc on Facebook.
As for community members who want to support the mission of Clary’s Closet, the organization welcomes gently used, freshly laundered clothing when it comes to most items. The organization maintains an Amazon wish list for new socks, underwear and other “always needs” at amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/14AU04S83TYT2.
In addition, Syracuse doughnut shop Glazed & Confused will be selling a “give-back box” of doughnuts decorated to look like painted rocks in August. The proceeds will benefit Clary’s Closet.
Now that the organization partners with nearly 80 schools, Clary’s Closet is beginning to outgrow its two storage units at B&C Storage in Radisson.
“I always feel like I’m flying the plane and building it at the same time. It’s amazing how it’s worked out,” she said of the nonprofit’s rapid growth. “Our goal is within the next one to two years we would like to have a building where people could come in … and kids could actually shop with their social worker.”
Clary said she is thankful for the community’s continued support.
“I can’t thank our community enough. Packages from Amazon or people’s homes show up at my door,” she said. “Every time we get a need, it gets answered.”
To learn more about the mission of Clary’s Closet, how to donate or how to request clothes for a student in need, visit claryscloset.org or follow @clarysclosetinc on Facebook.
