Clothing is a basic human right. Without access to adequate and appropriate clothing, children face unfair barriers in life and participate on an unequal playing field. At Cradles to Crayons, we use the term clothing insecurity to define this hidden crisis that one in every two Chicago children living in low-income and homeless situations face.  

We serve and provide these children with the essentials—clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and school supplies—they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play, so as to help them navigate the world with confidence and self-respect. 

Cradles to Crayons, founded in 2002 by Lynn Margherio, is a national nonprofit with operations in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. We are the only large-scale nonprofit dedicated to focusing on this resource gap, and we are driven by our vision: to provide children living in poverty and homelessness with the same opportunities as their peers.

Last year alone, our Chicago chapter of Cradles to Crayons distributed more than 300,000 packages of essential supplies to children, but there is still work to do to address the rise of this hidden crisis across the Chicagoland area: the kids we help don’t have shoes that fit, or a coat warm enough to fend off the frigid Chicago winter winds and temperatures, or a backpack to carry their schoolbooks and supplies in. Without these basics, they fear being judged and not valued: They don’t want to go to school. They have a hard time learning in school. They don’t go outside to play. They don’t feel valued.

At Cradles to Crayons Chicago, we provide a critical lifeline. Through engaging communities and working directly with a network of over seventy service partners—including human and social service agencies, community-based organizations, schools, hospitals, health systems, and religious organizations—we place these essential items directly in the hands of families and children who need them most, free of charge. 

Eighty-five percent of our service partners say they could not provide the essentials children need without Cradles to Crayons. Not only are we providing a critical lifeline by supplying these essentials, but we are also helping to provide children and families with a sense of hope—the hope that they can start living beyond just survival, just surviving, and find enrichment.

Our success in filling the gaps families struggle to cover is rooted in community connection and engagement. We rely heavily on our network of thousands of annual volunteers to help collect items, ensure they’re of high quality, and donate by size and type at our Giving Factory warehouse in North Center. We believe every child deserves high-quality clothing that’s free of any rips, tears, holes, and stains.  

We can see that the year-over-year increase in the need for essential items will continue to rise, and our journey thus far hasn't been without challenges. Limited resources pose obstacles, but we remain determined to overcome them through fundraising efforts, forming partnerships with like-minded organizations, and rallying support from our incredible community year-round. 

If our mission inspires you, here are three ways you can help make a difference:

We encourage you to learn more and join our fight to #EndClothingInsecurity by connecting with us on social media!

Facebook/Instagram: @Cradles to Crayons Chicago 

X (formerly Twitter): @c2cchicago 

LinkedIn: @Cradles to Crayons 

Website: Cradlestocrayons.org/chicago/

All of us at Cradles to Crayons Chicago are inspired daily by our supporters' impact on our communities. Together, we can make a significant difference and create a brighter future for every child in the Chicagoland area.

Dawn Melchiorre, C2C Chicago Executive Director, is a seasoned entrepreneur and nonprofit executive passionate about driving social change in her local community, serving children in crisis, and uplifting families in need. She has over 20 years of experience in building and managing teams, fundraising, strategic planning, and public policy work, with success in creating, building, and sustaining collaborations and partnerships at every level in service of a mission. Her nonprofit career began at Voices for Illinois Children where she organized advocacy campaigns raising awareness for issues related to early childhood education, mental health, and nutrition. Her success led her to the Greater Chicago Food Depository as Senior Director of Programs where she helped build the Illinois No Kid Hungry Campaign and the Illinois Commission to End Hunger.