CHURCHILL, Pa. — Sometimes, it’s the little things, like clean clothes or a granola bar, that make the biggest difference in a student’s day.
At Woodland Hills High School, a free store tucked inside the building is quietly removing barriers to learning by offering essentials like fresh bread, protein, toiletries and clothing for free.
“We are always going to have poverty, we will always have trauma, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier,” said Cathy Welsh with the Greater Valley Coalition.
In a district where nearly 70% of students are economically disadvantaged, the store offers dignity and choice and it’s working.
“If they don’t have a coat to wear or clean clothes, a lot of kids tell me they just won’t come to school,” said Kellie Irwin, the school’s social worker. “We thought if we could eliminate that barrier, it could help get kids to school.”
The space is intentionally designed to feel like a real store, welcoming and empowering.
“It really was a labor of love for us to get this to look like a store,” Irwin said. “We wanted kids to come in and feel like they could choose the items they wanted.”
The success of this project and many others goes beyond what the eye can see.
“We have the lowest numbers in violence we’ve seen since the pandemic,” Welsh said. “You’d have to go back to 2013 to see the numbers we’ve seen in 2024–2025.”
The store is part of a broader early-intervention strategy aimed at reducing school violence by ensuring students feel cared for and supported, starting with their most basic needs.
“Just providing these small things, items they really use on a daily basis, it calms their mind and makes them feel seen and valued and loved up,” Welsh said.
The school is accepting donations of new or gently used clothing and funding for food. To contribute, simply call Woodland Hills High School for details.
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