Arizona Tribune - Cocotree Kids Looks to Provide New Underwear to 17,000 Underserved Children in Massachusetts This Holiday Season

Generous Donor has Offered to Match all Donations up to $30,000

During this holiday season MA-based non-profit Cocotree Kids is looking to provide 8,500 underserved children in Massachusetts with a week's worth of new underwear - totaling 60,000 pairs. To accomplish this goal, the organization is looking to raise $30,000 during their Season of Giving Campaign to provide this basic item that so many take for granted. A generous donor has offered to match all donations for a total fundraising goal of $60,000 - which would provide 17,000 children a week's worth of new underwear. To learn more and donate, click here.

"Here at Cocotree Kids we are on a mission to provide new underwear to underserved youth across MA for their dignity and security. From now until December 31^st we invite the public to consider supporting our efforts to reach our goal to provide thousands of children in Massachusetts with the underwear they need. Since our founding in 2021, we have distributed over 250,000 pairs to 36,400 kids across the state, in all 14 counties, and the need continues to grow," said Catherine Maloy, CEO and Co-Founder of Cocotree Kids. "We are so appreciative of our amazing donors and in particular one who is matching all donations. These additional funds will allow us to help the 1 in 3 kids in Massachusetts experiencing clothing insecurity."

Access to underwear is limited because unlike outer clothing, coats, and shoes, underwear cannot be donated, even lightly used. It needs to be new, for legal and hygienic purposes. Kids without access to underwear often wear hand-me-downs that don't fit, re-wear soiled underwear, or just simply go without it.

To kick off the Season of Giving Campaign, students from Charles River School in Dover, MA had a packing event (photo above). Gabe Burnstein, Head of School, said "We talk to our students a lot about thinking about others. We want our students to learn about leadership through service. The students love their part in all of this."

Lauren McElligot, an 8th grader added, "Knowing we can help so many kids that don't have access to clean underwear, which is just a basic necessity, is such a great feeling."

Each pair of underwear collected or purchased goes directly to children in dire need across the state. Cocotree Kids partners with and supports homeless and domestic violence shelters, hospitals, foster care, food pantries, Boston Public Schools and more.Laurel Schnitman with Mass General Brigham explains, "When children come into the hospital, they are fearful and have no control of what is happening and through the generosity of Cocotree Kids, we are able to provide them with a clean pair of underwear to give them a little bit of comfort."

Cocotree Kids receives support from many organizations who have made significant donations including Mimecast who recently donated $15,000 and brought their employees together for a packing event. "We love giving back to the community, it's a part of our DNA. Our employees were thrilled to work together to support this great cause," said Reed Bundy of Mimecast. Lucky & Me is one of the many providers of underwear. Krystin Morse with Lucky & Me said, "We are thrilled to partner with Cocotree Kids. We have provided over 25,000 pairs of underwear since 2022 which has given almost 3,500 children a week's worth of underwear."

The best way to support Cocotree* Kids this holiday season is by making a financial donation enabling the organization to purchase new underwear from their suppliers at less than retail cost. There are several giving levels, for example a generous $350 donation can purchase 700 pairs to provide a week's worth of underwear to 100 children. For more information, visit https://www.cocotreekids.org/.

*The Cocotree name comes from founder Catherine's daughter, who as a toddler, loved Christmas so much but pronounced it "Cocotrees." She would call anything that brought her joy a "Cocotree"-whether it was something she saw outside or a toy. Catherine's hope is to bring as much happiness to children through Cocotree Kids as the joy that was captured through her daughter.

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For further information, contact:
Amy Riemer, Communications Director
978-502-4895 (mobile)
[email protected]

SOURCE: Cocotree Kids, Inc.

W.Nelson--AT