Roughly three months after launching “Confidence Closets” in Paterson schools in partnership with Serve Our Schools, a coalition of churches, school officials said the program is having an even greater impact than expected, helping students gain access to basic toiletries they often go without and eliminating chronic absenteeism as a result of it. On Tuesday, officials announced that with the help of a donation from Colgate they now are able to expand and fully stock the closets with nearly 30,000 new products donated by the company.
And at John F. Kennedy High School, in an effort to help students remain confident in school, Raquel Amador, chronic absenteeism specialist with Paterson Public Schools, made a private area — a “She Spot” — where students can access menstrual supplies. The Confidence Closet and She Spot have combined forces and will share a one-stop shop.
Eileen Shafer, Paterson’s school superintendent, said the high school is the only location with a combined-use closet, but they hope to receive more period supplies for all 33 Confidence Closets.
