Bismarck Public Schools winter clothing event
UPDATE: The Bismarck School district is conducting a winter gear drive Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. for students in the transition program.
Sherrice Roness runs the program and says this is the third year for the drive. She says there are currently 249 homeless people identified in Bismarck and around 130 children served with winter gear.
For those in the program, you have to attend your scheduled time at the Hughes Building.
"As the winter goes on, and a family maybe they move here or they become in transition and they need these items, we give out those items all year through its not just this one time kind of a thing," said Roness.
Roness says there's around $12,000 worth of winter gear held, that will be distributed to students. Flu shots will also be available.
ORIGINAL STORY: Winter is right around the corner. Bismarck Public Schools is already thinking winter gear.
Bismarck Public Schools has kicked off the third year of its winter gear drive.
What started out as a closet in the basement, has grown.
"And now we have a huge storage area where it's set up like a store," said Sherrice Roness, students in transition coordinator for BPS.
Roness says it's important to get students to school warm, safe and healthy.
"Because sometimes we have these kids, especially the really transient kids, that might be coming from a different place every morning and going to school. Maybe they're walking over a miles, over two miles and we know how our winters are," said Roness.
She says people can donate new coats, lightly used items or give monetary donations.
"Ours is a little bit different, because we focus on the snow boots and the snow pants more than we really do about winter coats," said Roness.
And the winter gear drive doesn't just mean coats. There's other options to keep you warm.
"Some leave with a full range of clothes from head to toe, and some just needed a coat, or some boots and they walk out with that," said Roness.
Roness says BPS also serves kids 0 through 5 and adult sizes are needed for high school children, including XXL.
Roness says her favorite thing about this drive is watching these kids walk away with a smile on their face and excited to go to school. In Bismarck, I'm Jordan Verdadeiro for your news leader.
The winter clothing distribution will take place Tuesday October 15 from 5 to 8 pm at the Hughes building. Roness says flu shots will also be available.
