Donated school uniforms for CPS students ruined in Chicago flooding

CHICAGO - Thousands of brand-new school uniforms — ready to be donated — were ruined in Chicago's weekend flooding.  

Now, a non-profit serving the Austin neighborhood needs your help in time for the upcoming school year.

"We weren't prepared for it. We didn't expect it. No one in Chicago expected it, who were traumatized by this incident," said Anchor Chicago's Founder and CEO, Hyson Harper.  "And due to this flood, we lost approximately 900 uniforms for children to go back to school."

The uniforms were all brand new with the tags still on. While the clothing can be laundered and used, Harper said what's lost is being able to provide underserved children in the Austin neighborhood with that intangible feeling of having a brand-new uniform on that first day of school.

"The whole thing of it is: seeing the excitement of a kid opening up and taking the tags off of a brand-new item to go back to school," said Harper. "It boosts their self-esteem. It lets them know that we may not have it, but we're able to get new stuff, too."

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The uniforms were stored in boxes in Harper's basement, which got standing water above his knees on Sunday. 

The uniforms affected are for children pre-K all the way through high school, and were donated.

"We give these uniforms to the children, so they have fresh new clothes to go back to school, and we lost almost everything," said Harper.

With just under seven weeks until the first day of school for CPS, Anchor Chicago needs your help replenishing the lost uniforms. 

They're looking for Dickey khakis and solid-colored collared shirts in all sizes and can arrange pickup. You can get in touch by going to anchor-chicago.org.