DURHAM, N.C. – According to the Raleigh-based nonprofit Note in the Pocket, two out of every five children in the United States experience clothing insecurity. For the last decade, Note in the Pocket has helped clothe Triangle area kids from its building in the City of Oaks. This week, it’s officially opening the doors to its Durham location.
LeQuandra Ballen, the Durham program manager for Note in the Pocket, says the nonprofit reached a major milestone last year. By the end of 2023, Note in the Pocket marked 50,000 people served. Ballen says the organization reached that number two years faster than they thought they would. Now, they’re gearing up to open their first Durham location, which will allow them to help that area more efficiently.
People have been busy building shelves and organizing the organization’s new space in Durham.
“This area as you see that they're building the shelves, that area to here will be our fulfillment area,” Ballen said. “As I can imagine, this space will be full of the noise of volunteers sorting, enjoying each other in fellowship as they are serving the community.”
Ballen used to volunteer with Note in the Pocket and now she’s the nonprofit’s program manager for the Bull City.
“I used to be a school social worker and a teacher years ago. And so I saw the need there and so kind of tying those things together and always doing the work in the community and knowing what the need is,” Ballen said.
For the last 10 years, the organization has provided two weeks worth of clothing for Triangle kids in need. Ballen says this new location will make it more convenient to reach Durham area families.
“Fifty-percent of the youth already receive free and reduced lunch. And so we knew that there was a need,” Ballen said. “Clothing insecurity is one of those things that we don't think about often as being a barrier to youth going to school.”
The goal is to decrease the number of kids and families that experience clothing insecurity. Outfits are hand-selected and packaged into bags with a note that reminds whoever puts the clothes on is loved.
“If we can remove that barrier, and they can walk in confident. It's just one more check, you know, checkmark a plus that they have to be successful in school,” Ballen said. “Whether it is just confidence, it prevents bullying, it helps them focus, takes the stress of mental health and self-care off of them, and they can take pride in what they're doing. They can take pride in how they show up.”
Ballen says the only way Note in the Pocket can serve as many kids and families as they do is because of volunteers and donations.
As far as donations, they take new and gently used kids and adult clothing for all ages and sizes. Items like shoes can be used, but socks and underwear must be new.
Note in the Pocket is celebrating the official grand opening of its Durham location with a ribbon cutting and open house on Friday morning.
If you’re interested in learning about the nonprofit's services or how to support the organization, visit Note in the Pocket’s website.