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Brandywine Heights junior creates ongoing clothing drive amid pandemic

Wanting to find a lasting solution for the financial burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Brandywine Heights High School junior Tatyana Ulman created the Brandywine Heights Clothing Circle.

“I hope to provide clothing to those in need in my community and to help the environment through the re-use of materials,” Tatyana said.

In their ongoing community clothing drive better known as BH Clothing Circle, Tatyana and her team of volunteers collect clothing donations and then redistribute back into the community at clothing giveaway events held in the high school cafeteria.

Tatyana Ulman created BH Clothing Circle as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project to provide clothing to those in need and to help the environment through the re-use of materials. (Submitted photo)

“I had not expected the BH Clothing Circle to have as large of an impact as it has,” Tatyana said. “I have watched people come to the events and leave with multiple large bags of clothing.”

At its  most successful collection, BH Clothing Circle collected 177 bags of clothing. At the group’s most successful distribution, 48 families came to take clothing.

Inspired by a Girl Scout project

The BH Clothing Circle is part of Tatyana’s Girl Scout Gold Award project.

In Girl Scouts, her goal was to earn Bronze, Silver and Gold awards. Tatyana earned the Bronze Award with Girl Scout Troop 1569 when she finished elementary school and her Silver Award in 2019 when she started a tutoring program at Brandywine Heights Middle School.

For her Gold Award, Tatyana needed to find a problem in her community and create a long-lasting solution that would require more than 80 hours of work.

“I had thought of the financial burdens COVID has caused and looked for a solution. I initially thought of providing food, but that would require an excessive amount of money to be spent that was not in my budget,” she said.

“Then, I thought of a clothing drive, in which people could donate clothing they no longer wanted and acquire ‘new’ clothing, which would help alleviate the financial burden of purchasing clothes.”

The circle could continue without donors needing to spend money on donation items, she explained.

“The project would also have a positive impact on the environment through the re-use of clothing and shoes,” she said. “Thus, I started the Brandywine Heights Clothing Circle.”

The BH Clothing Cabinet is located in the high school’s library for students to take clothing throughout the school day. (Submitted photo)

BH Clothing Circle started in June 2021, when Tatyana and her team began painting a cabinet that would be used to store clothing for students to take during the school day. The first clothing collection was on Aug. 14 that year, with the first distribution on Aug. 28.

“Not too many people came to the first distribution, but the number of attendees has increased substantially,” Tatyana said.

A team of students helps sort clothing after school and assists at events. Students who help out also earn community service hours required for graduation. Her brother Eli runs the website, makes flyers and creates other advertising.

“The Brandywine Heights High School’s principal, Matthew Dziunycz, has aided immensely in coordinating when the building is available for events and in providing space to store clothing,” Tatyana said. “He and the Brandywine Heights Middle School’s dean of students, Antonio Riggins, volunteer their time to alternately supervise the clothing events. This huge endeavor would not have been possible without all of these people and my parents’ support.”

Tatyana hopes that the BH Clothing Circle will continue next school year with the high school National Honor Society taking on the project.

“I and many of my volunteers will most likely be in this group and continue our roles.”

Donation and Giveaway Events

Clothing collections typically are held every other month and clothing distributions monthly, all held at the high school cafeteria between 10 a.m. and noon. Tatyana advertises the events with flyers at local businesses, posts on the community’s Facebook page Residents of Topton, at school, and on Topton’s automated sign outside the borough office.

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During the events, BH Clothing Circle team members walk to donors’ cars to take their clothing. All the clothing, including shoes and accessories, is stored in a garage outside the school. Then the team sorts through the donations after school in preparation for distribution. The day of the distribution, the team arrives at school at 7 a.m. to lay out all of the clothing by type and size in the high school cafeteria.

“Everything is free, and anyone can take clothing,” Tatyana said. “We usually hold sizes infant to 3x, The BH Clothing Cabinet is stocked with clothing and shoes as well and is located in the high school’s library for students to take clothing throughout the school day.”

The BH Clothing Circle held a dual event to collect and distribute clothing on March 19, collecting prom attire and handing out free clothing in a variety of sizes.

The BH Clothing Circle’s Free Prom Attire! event March 26, from 10 a.m. to noon in the high school cafeteria includes many prom and formal dresses as well as shoes and even a wedding dress, all free.

“The community can help by donating clothing and coming to take clothes. I tell people that even if they are not in need of clothing they should come have a look for a fun morning of thrifting because we have SO MUCH clothing to give,” said Tatyana.

Upcoming event dates, yet to be determined, will be posted on the BH Clothing Circle website at www.tinyurl.com/clothingcirclebh.


Source: Berkshire mont

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