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Want kids in class? Start with coats, shoes and dignity.
The editorial board is right to call attention to the troubling rise in chronic absenteeism in schools across Illinois. But we must also recognize that for many students, absenteeism is not a matter of apathy—it’s about barriers. One of the most overlooked is Clothing Insecurity: not having access to clean, weather-appropriate, properly fitting clothing.
Nationwide, four in 10 families are having difficulty covering basic needs like food and housing, and in Chicago, one in two Chicago children are living in low-income and homeless situations and face it daily. Clothing is a basic human need, yet there are no government programs that provide it. Too many kids start school days without shoes that fit, coats warm enough for Chicago winters, or
clean outfits that meet school requirements. When children lack these basics, they are more likely to stay home to avoid bullying, stigma, or the anxiety of simply not having what they need.
Educators, human and social service organizations, and agencies have understood this for years. They aren’t waiting for studies to confirm what they see: providing essential items keeps kids in class. Even the National Education Association (NEA) has spotlighted how much providing clothing, school supplies, and hygiene items improves attendance and engagement.
Lack of access to clothing and supplies is a systems problem and requires a systems response. Cross-agency collaboration, especially with health and housing partners, is vital. When minds meet—across agencies and sectors—we can address Chicago’s most pressing challenges in measurable and impactful ways.
We’ve seen this collaboration in action at Cradles to Crayons (C2C). Last year alone, we distributed more than 329,000 packages of clothing and essentials across the Chicagoland area to 58 social service and civic organizations, nonprofits and agencies. Chicago Public Schools is one of our largest beneficiaries of school supplies. And 87% of our partners tell us that they wouldn’t be able to meet the needs of their families for free without our support.
This is what collaboration looks like in practice and why it matters. Research is valuable, but students deserve immediate action. If we’re serious about reducing absenteeism, we have to remove the barriers we can control.
— Dawn Melchiorre, Executive Director of Cradles to Crayons Chicago (C2C)