CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Thousands of Chicago's newest Chicago Public Schools students are getting winter clothing and other essentials.
Dawn Melchiorri is executive director of "Cradles to Crayons Chicago" which has been collecting and packaging donated winter and hygienic items for 2,500 CPS newcomer students including clothing, shoes and books.
The students that will be receiving the items are children who are are either unhoused or in low-income situations, Melchiorri said.
She encourages Chicagoans to look into their closets for what they don't need and "see what they have that's gently used."
Drop-off locations for donations can be found throughout the city and suburbs. The drop-off locations are listed here.
Berenice Pond is with the Office of Family and Community Engagement for Chicago Public Schools. She tells WBBM the migrants are experiencing Chicago's cold reality.
"We've talked to a couple families from Venezuela in particular where it's nice and warm then the weather-even the fall weather is very cold for them," Pond explained.
"They're trying to adjust. We're trying to chat with them about layering up, so they're nice and warm."
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