The Los Angeles Rams and youth fashion retailer Pacsun have partnered to donate washer and dryer sets to schools in Compton and Los Angeles to help combat chronic absenteeism caused by a range of challenges including limited access to clean clothes, it was announced Tuesday.
Through the recently launched Loads of Love' program supported by the non-profit Thinkwatts Foundation, 20 schools from the Compton Unified School District and Los Angeles Unified School District will receive a set, according to Brie Olson, chief executive officer of Anaheim-based Pacsun.
The U.S. Department of Education describes chronic absenteeism -- missing at least 15 days of school in a year -- as a widespread educational crisis. Research shows that students in underserved communities are chronically absent due to varied challenges including poor health, limited transportation, lack of safety and limited access to clean clothes.
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The program will include the Rams and Pacsun donating an additional $2 million worth of clothing to under-resourced schools served by Compton Unified, Inglewood Unified, L.A. Unified and Partnership for Los Angeles Schools this year. In January, half of the allocation was donated to the 20 schools receiving washer and dryer sets.
"At the Rams, we pride ourselves on being present in our community and eliminating barriers to success facing our young people," Molly Higgins, Rams executive vice president of community engagement, said in a statement.
"When we learned that lack of clothing -- and clean clothing -- contributes to chronic absenteeism that prevents learning in our under- resourced communities, we wanted to find a creative way to address the issue. We are grateful to our partners at Pacsun for donating $90,000 worth of clothing to the students at 112th STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Academy, and our partners at Thinkwatts Foundation who are helping us provide access to washers and dryers to keep the clothing clean and the students in school."
Leading up to last year's season, the Rams and Pacsun renewed their initiative to improve attendance at schools supported by Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a non-profit managing 20 of LA Unified's highest-need schools in Watts, South L.A. and Boyle Heights.
Over the past four years, Pacsun and the Rams have donated more than $3 million in product to provide new, on-trend clothing to more than 30,000 students throughout L.A. County, according to the retailer.
"At Los Angeles Unified, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed, and that begins with being present in the classroom," L.A. Unified Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho said. "By addressing barriers such as access to clean clothing, the Los Angeles Rams and partners are making a tangible difference in the lives of our students."
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