BALDWINSVILLE — The pandemic and inflation have made it harder for Central New York families to make ends meet in the three-plus years since Alysia and Mark Clary founded Clary’s Closet. The Baldwinsville-based nonprofit provides clothing essentials for school-age students in Onondaga, Cayuga and Madison counties.
“I don’t know when a year has been so difficult for families. The amount of requests we’ve gotten … it’s unprecedented,” Alysia Clary said. “Before it was just at the gas pump. Now it’s at the dinner table; it’s at the clothing line at Target. What we’re seeing is just astronomical with the student wish lists that are coming in.”
When a family can’t afford groceries or clothing, they likely will feel the sting even more when it comes to holiday gifts. That’s why Clary’s Closet has brought back its Angels on Call holiday wish list program. Community members can “adopt” a student from one of the schools that partner with Clary’s Closet. Last year, the program provided more than 100 children with holiday gifts.
Students in need have filled out wish lists and shared their favorite colors, sports teams and hobbies so their “angels” can pick out the perfect present for them. Requests this year range from Legos and L.O.L. Surprise! dolls to Bluetooth speakers and gift cards. Many kids are asking for basic supplies like body spray, bedding or water bottles.
“They’re not asking for the moon — just the simple pleasures in life,” Clary said.
As with Clary’s Closet’s clothing distribution, school social workers arrange deliveries so students remain anonymous. Clary’s Closet is asking for new, unwrapped gift items.
“Schools will give wrapping paper to parents so they can wrap gifts and say it’s from the parents or from Santa,” Clary said.
While Clary’s Closet serves more than 78 schools in CNY, Clary noted that the majority of her volunteers are from Baldwinsville.
In addition to the army of donors and volunteers, the Durgee Yearbook Club is collecting hats and gloves for Clary’s Closet. Even local businesses are pitching in: Best Tile is sponsoring the brown paper bags Clary’s Closet uses to distribute holiday gifts so the nonprofit doesn’t have to dip into its regular paper bag budget.
“They are, in the truest meaning of the word, ‘angel,’” she said. “I wish I could coin a phrase for this amount of generosity.”
There are several ways to support Angels on Call:
1. Sponsor a child and shop for their gifts yourself. Email [email protected] to sign up. The deadline is Nov. 18.
3. Purchase gifts directly from the Angels on Call wish list (amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/C36KTLBEZIRU).
4. Volunteer to shop for items.
“If somebody can’t donate because of the way is the economy this year … they could go out and be shoppers,” Clary said.
For more information, call 315-480-1183, email [email protected], or visit facebook.com/ClarysClosetInc.
