logo_mission


Contact Us
 
Mailing Address AND Clearwater Store:
1059 N. Hercules Avenue
Clearwater FL 33765
727-441-5050

St. Petersburg Store:
3251 3rd Ave. N, Ste. 145
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-327-7100

Email: info@clothestokids.org

History of Clothes To Kids


Jode-Eye--Marie-McClung

Jode Eye and Marie McClung, graduates of Clearwater High School, created Clothes To Kids, Inc. (CTK) out of a passion for helping children in need. Jode, a former first grade teacher, saw the need for clothing each day in her classroom and Marie, a former school volunteer and local business woman, wanted to start a non-profit for children. The co-founders began research for their idea in July of 2002, incorporated on September 30, 2002 and began collecting children's clothing from friends, family and other members of the community, storing the ever growing inventory in their homes. Their idea was not only about free clothing for school children it was also about providing access to that clothing in a cheerful environment where eligible families were treated with dignity and respect.

On June 11, 2003, the first CTK store opened in Dunedin, providing 1,200 square feet of shopping space. By June of 2005, the organization had outgrown the facility and moved to its current location in Clearwater. The new 5,000 square foot store was made possible through members of the CTK Builder's Club - generous individuals and businesses from the local community. In the new, bigger location Macy's was on hand to really perfect Jode and Marie's vision of the look and feel of the "mini-department store". During a three week period Macy's employees volunteered their time and talent to transform that raw space to the what is now the "CTK Store" with a cheerful color palette that rivals any department store in your mall!

A second (and equally beautiful) CTK Store opened in December 2009 in St. Petersburg, making clothing more accessible to families in the south and north sides of Pinellas County.  With both stores operating CTK now serves 250-300 children every week! 
 
Since opening its doors in 2003, CTK has distributed more than 60,000 wardrobes to school children in Pinellas County and is considered one of Pinellas County's leading charities.  In 2008, Clothes To Kids was chosen by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as Non-Profit of the Year in the category of Children's Services.