Thursday, October 1, 2026
Children in the North Shore and Glen Cove school districts got to “shop ‘til they drop" with the Kiwanis Club of North Shore at this year’s Klothes for Kids day. Kiwanis began the initiative more than 30 years ago to help children in need buy back-to-school clothes.
Chairs Anniek Murray and Natalia Pardo, a former member of North Shore High School Key Club, organize the event annually despite no longer living in the community. They plan and coordinate from their homes in Florida and Washington D.C. alongside President Chris Salmon. Key Club alumni Carolina Pardo and Sajel Arya also volunteer for the event.
Julia Salat, executive board member, said that the initiative “fits very neatly” into the organization’s mission of helping children in need. Kiwanis, a global nonprofit, operates under the motto “Serving the children of the world.”
“The kids are really so eager,” Salat said. “Some have never shopped before.”
This year’s Klothes for Kids day was held on Aug. 15 with 23 children from the two school districts. Kiwanis works with JCPenney in Roosevelt Field Mall, where the children are paired with an adult shopper from Kiwanis. This year, each child was given $300.
Kiwanis raises the money used to fund the initiative throughout the rest of the year, with Sea Cliff Mini Mart being the biggest fundraiser.
“The child goes home with a pile of clothes,” Salat said. “It’s absolutely amazing how much $300 goes.”
With the help of guidance counselors, social workers and principals, Salat organizes the list of elementary and middle school students from North Shore. Kiwanis Board Member Leslie McCarthy does the same for Glen Cove students.
“Most of the time (the parents) say yes,” Salat said, “because it’s a wonderful experience.”
Parents provide their child’s clothing size and a list of items, but Salat said children are always welcome to pick out something extra. She described shopping with the children as “an amazing feeling.”
“My little one, she just picks out her sneakers, we get the size, smiles galore,” Salat said, “and once she gets the feel of it, it’s pretty good. She’ll like this and she’ll like that.”
Salat added that, often, children will also ask to purchase items for parents or siblings. One year, she said, she shopped with a boy who picked out clothing for his younger brother who did not get to shop.
“We’re getting something for everybody, every member of the family,” Salat said. “So that is heartwarming. It kind of brings tears to your eyes.”
Lateshia Dixon, coordinator at JCPenney, has been working with Kiwanis for the event since 2009. The store offers discounts on clothes during the event and presented Kiwanis with a $5,000 grant.
Salat explained that the grant money would go back into helping the community’s children, being put toward other programs like providing sneakers and coats. She described JCPenney as being “all for” Klothes for Kids.
After shopping at JCPenney, Kiwanis busses the children to Amalfi Pizzeria and Restaurant in Glen Cove for lunch before returning to North Shore High School to be picked up.
“Some know each other, some don’t,” Salat said. “Some are friends, some aren’t, but they’re just one big happy family when they arrive at Amalfi, and then of course, when they go home, the parents are just smiles galore.”
To learn more about Kiwanis Club of North Shore, visit NorthShoreKiwanisLI.com.
