BREWSTER – It began four years ago as a modest back-to-school event.
Brewster High School’s Career Skills Free Back to School Shopping bonanza has grown into a full-scale operation, thanks to the generosity of businesses, community members, and organizations—and the hard work of Brewster High School Career Skills students and staff.
Held Thursday at Brewster’s First Baptist Church, the annual event provided families with brand-new, name-brand clothing and other items at no cost. Organizers gathered more than $100,000 in clothing and other donations from the community.
A major highlight consisted of a generous donation from the United Way, including $97,000 worth of Ralph Lauren clothing, $15,000 in Happy Nation sweats, bathrobes, shorts and bags, and $7,500 in Ann Taylor Loft items.
Throughout the year, students and staff gathered community donations and unclaimed items from the district’s lost and found, then washed, sorted by size, and stored the clothing.
Students helped load the donations into vehicles, transported them to the church and transformed the space into a free shopping experience for local families.
For the Career Skills students, the Free Back to School Shopping Event offered a hands-on opportunity to put classroom lessons into action—from organization and communication to teamwork, responsibility and community service.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of our community,” said teacher Donna Schneider who added, “Their support makes experiences like this possible and shows our students the power of kindness and connection. Events like this fit right into our classroom mission—teaching life skills, building confidence, and creating meaningful opportunities for every student to grow and shine.”
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