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Kritti’s Closet opens its doors
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students at Austintown Fitch High School helped make sure everything was ready for the grand opening of Kritti's Closet on May 3.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Kritti's Closet at Austintown Fitch High School had its grand opening on May 3. The new project provides casual to formal clothing and other basic supplies.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students and guests attending the opening of Kritti's Closet on May 2 were provided with cupcakes, bagels and refreshments to celebrate the grand opening at Austintown Fitch High School.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.All of the items at Kritti's Closet at Austintown Fitch High School were donated by students, staff, alumni and the community members of Austintown.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
Austintown Fitch High School hosted the grand opening of its newest project, Kritti’s Closet, on May 3.
Donna Burnell, the Family and Consumer Science teacher, created the project on behalf of her sister-in-law, Kristine “Kritti” Burnell-Stickler, who passed away in 2014. The project is sponsored by the Fitch Chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
Burnell started organizing this project around Thanksgiving. After speaking with Austintown family liaison Nate Armstrong and the rest of the guidance department at Fitch, the guidance department referred students who were in need of supplies to Kritti’s Closet. The department also helped Burnell decide what items were needed.
“What we’re trying to do is make sure that the kids have their basic needs met. Once those needs are met, then they can start thinking about other things,” said Burnell.
Everything in Kritti’s Closet was donated by alumni, students, faculty and the community. Burnell said when the word has gotten out, people were more than willing to donate.
“After my speaking during the Board meeting, people have really been donating. It’s just been humbling,” said Burnell.
A project for next year that Burnell is working on is to provide crock pots and two frozen meals for students to take home for the weekend. The students will learn how to use the crock pots to cook meals for themselves and their families at home. Students in Burnell’s classes and other aids will prepare the frozen meals.
Another project in the making is one thought of by some of the female students at Fitch. The project is called the “Period Project,” with the slogan “serious period patients only.” The goal is to put a little basket of female supplies in every female restroom in case of an emergency.
“They can just grab one and there will probably be a change jar if they want to donate, then they can go on their way. It’s convenient for students,” said Toniann Minardi.
Kritti’s Closet will be open throughout the school year and during lunch periods for students. Students may also contact their guidance counselors if they wish to visit Kritti’s Closet outside of their lunch periods. The project isn’t just for those students who are in need. If someone spilled something on their clothes or got them dirty, they can grab something from Kritti’s Closet to wear for the rest of the day.
“I wouldn’t know what to do without my staff. The help has been absolutely amazing,” said Burnell.