Clothing, food donations at Baltimore elementary school organized by volunteers

Volunteers gathered at a Baltimore elementary school Wednesday to help organize food and clothing donations. It was part of the third annual "Way Day of Service," hosted by United Way of Central Maryland. 

Curtis Bay Elementary was filled with volunteers from Live! Casino to organize the items donated by school staff. 

The food pantry and clothing closet are spaces that the school uses so families can have the items they need. 

"At the beginning of the school year, we noticed there was a big need for different household items, clothing items," said Community School Coordinator Shenika Foster. "Not only for the students but for the families as well. So, we reached out to staff and said, 'Hey, if you have any gently used clothes, household items, shoes at home, bring them in.' They overwhelmed us."

Volunteers helped get the room full of clothing and food organized on Wednesday, creating a welcoming space where families can easily get what they need. 

It's Foster's 10th year at Curtis Bay, and she said it holds a special place in her heart. 

"Just to see that the staff cares about the kids just as much as I do, it definitely brings me some joy," she said. 

Foster said events like this also help with attendance.

"We've had a lot of families that say kids don't come to school because they don't have clean clothes, they don't have access to a washer and dryer," Foster said. "So for us to be able to provide this service for them, it helps boost our attendance and the student achievement in the school as well."

The "Way Day of Service" continued Wednesday afternoon at Bay Brook Elementary/Middle School, where volunteers helped with gardening and trash clean-up for Earth Day.