Volunteers from MPS’ Washington High School of Information Technology and Koss Corporation help with the sorting and processing of donations before items head to schools

More than 3,000 items of brand-new, adult-size donated clothing will help students at six MPS high schools stay warm this winter.

NewThreads, a local nonprofit, is facilitating the donation from Harley-Davidson. The group provides new clothes to people in need thanks to manufacturer and retailer overstocks, lines from prior seasons and samples.

The donations are going to students at Bay View High School, Harry and Lynde Bradley Technology and Trade High School, James Madison Academic Campus, South Division High School, Harold S. Vincent High School and Washington High School of Information Technology. The six schools are large high schools with high percentages of students from lower-income families.

“This is an important donation for us because we often receive clothing for younger children but not always for our older students,” MPS social work coordinator Dena Radkte said. “High school students often walk to school or wait at bus stops, so having warmer clothes is crucial for them through the cold months to stay warm and stay in school.”

Once the clothes are sorted and ready for distribution, C. Coakley Relocation Systems, Coakley Brothers and Graebel Moving and Warehouse Corp. are donating their services to transport the donation to the six high schools. The donations will be distributed to students before the winter break.

“We want to thank NewThreads of Hope, our volunteers, community members and the three moving companies for their commitment to making the lives of our young people better,” MPS Superintendent Dr. Darienne Driver said. “It means a lot to our students to know that there are countless adults in this community who care about them and want to see them succeed.”