Sherae Honeycutt

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) – Original Post

Students deal with stress every day and now one Poplar Bluff school wants to make sure the last thing they have to worry about is the basics.

It may not be obvious, but behind librarian Marcia Priest’s desk is a room aimed to help students succeed.

“If they’re having to struggle with, ‘where am I going to get my next meal over the weekend,’ or if they don’t have things to shower at home it’s going to affect them at school,” Priest said.

The program is new this year at Poplar Bluff Senior High School and didn’t have an easy start.

“We weren’t getting a big response, and so Grace, one of our students, came and asked what she could do to help, and I asked her to help me get the word out to our students,” Priest said.

Senior Grace King took the project to heart.

She put up fliers in the school’s bathroom and started a fundraiser for items they needed.

“I bought underwear and socks, and little things like makeup that I enjoy, and I know somebody else would. You feel a need somewhere, and it just kind of drives you, and you just go, and you do it,” King said.

“Just a really great young lady who’s going to be an asset to our community,” Priest said.

Priest said the library provides a unique space where students can come in anonymously and pick out something that they like.

“It’s hard to realize that we have kids in our community that don’t have everything they need, and we can do just something small to provide what they need to make their lives better. It’s eventually going to pay off,” Priest said.

Clothes, toiletries, food and supplies are all available to the teens free of charge.

“I have always been given the things that I’ve needed. I’ve never really had to ask for deodorant or ask for soap or ask for toothbrush or toothpaste. Some kids don’t know where they can get it, or their parents aren’t as involved as they should be, and this is where they can get the things that they need.”

Something that both women say the students never expected, but are thankful for all the same.

If you would like to donate to The Giving Closet, you can contact Poplar Bluff Senior High School.

Priest said most items do not need to be new, but she asks that they are donated in a clean state and that they are appropriate for teenagers.

Toiletries should be new and unopened.