All children deserve to grow up feeling confident, stylish, and most of all—loved.
At Clothes For Kids, wardrobes are more than just clothes - they’re confidence in the classroom, comfort on the playground, and a fresh start at the beginning of the school year. Each outfit—chosen by the child themselves, not handed to them—is a quiet but powerful reminder: you matter, and you belong.
Serving youth from Head Start through 12th grade across Snohomish County and the Northshore School District, Clothes For Kids provides full wardrobes—completely free of charge—to thousands of students each year. But the impact can’t be measured in pants and parkas alone. It lives in the way a student stands taller, smiles wider, and walks into school with their head held high.
“We’re here to empower students for success,” says the Clothes For Kids team. “One wardrobe at a time.”
The effect goes far beyond clothing. For families experiencing financial hardship, back-to-school shopping can feel overwhelming—one more stressor in an already difficult season. Clothes For Kids eases that burden, replacing it with relief, gratitude, and joy. Teachers report boosts in classroom participation and self-esteem. Parents describe tearful moments of pride. And the kids? They light up—twirling, smiling, and strutting with the confidence of knowing they belong.
“I’ve had parents cry in our lobby just from the relief of knowing their child can start school feeling proud of what they’re wearing,” says Erin Ennis, whose mother, Sharie Ennis, founded the nonprofit 40 years ago. “It’s those little moments that stay with you.”
Clothes For Kids began in a single classroom at the old Scriber Lake High School, with racks of donated clothes and a big dream. “My mom walked in and immediately saw the potential,” Erin recalls. “It was organized, sure—but she knew it could be so much more.” And it quickly became just that. The program expanded into multiple rooms and eventually took over the school’s locker rooms. “We were the last ones in the building,” she remembers. “They were literally tearing it down around us.”
Today, that dream has blossomed into a thriving nonprofit with its own warm, welcoming storefront in Lynnwood. Students shop in a store-like setting filled with care, dignity, and hope. And in a beautiful full-circle moment, many of the kids who once received wardrobes now return as volunteers—and even board members. “That’s when you know you’re doing something right,” Erin says. “When the kids you helped come back because they want to help the next generation.”
Last year, Clothes For Kids helped more than 4,300 local students walk into school with dignity and confidence. That’s over 4,300 children no longer worrying about what they’re wearing- but instead ready to learn, connect, and thrive. Each outfit served as a quiet but powerful reminder: you matter, you’re supported, and you belong.
Any low-income student who lives in or attends school in Snohomish County or the Northshore School District is eligible to shop at Clothes For Kids—from toddlers in Head Start to teens in high school.
As founder Sharie Ennis knew from the beginning, Clothes For Kids has always been about more than clothing. It’s about what happens when a community wraps its arms around its youth and says, “You matter. We’re here for you.”Forty years later, that mission continues—empowering students, one wardrobe at a time.
To get involved, whether booking an appointment to get clothing, volunteering, or donating visit the Clothes for Kids website at: https://clothesforkids.org/