THUNDER BAY – Community Clothing Assistance (CCA) has kicked off its Undercover Project.
The Undercover Project, which started in 2006, provides children in need between the ages of four to 14 with coupons that can be redeemed at any time to receive seven pairs of new socks and seven pairs of new underwear.
The coupons will be distributed at the CLE Coliseum building in December, and families can use them anytime between December 2024 and October 2025.
Vishesh Nayyar, general manager of Community Clothing Assistance, said the project fosters children’s sense of dignity, confidence and inclusion.
“The Undercover Project is really essential. People, concerned mothers and even the school teachers keep contacting us that children in schools come without these bare necessities.
“We really feel bad that the children cannot get these basic essentials during their young age. There is stigma, which not only reduces their confidence but also reduces their dignity.”
Last year Community Clothing Assistance hit a new record and served more than 1,500 children. It is the hope to keep on this trend and continue to serve more and more children.
With new socks and underwear, Nayyar said, children feel a sense of belonging, and that they are considered equal in the community.
“If they are not given these basic necessities, firstly, their confidence will go right down.
“During the time of schooling, children may feel a little bit lost in the community since they feel they are not considered equal due to the certain circumstances they've been going through.
“As a company or clothing assistance, we have taken the responsibility of at least clothing that we can provide the Thunder Bay community with our different programs.”
Nayyar said the major goal of the Undercover Project is to serve children who cannot afford underwear and socks, and give them the necessities which can be be fulfilled throughout the year.
“Community Clothing assistance is completely dependent upon the community donations.
“We also have support of different businesses all around Thunder Bay. Right now, around 50 to 55 businesses have taken our bins, both monetary and product bins where they are collecting new socks and underwear for Community Clothing Assistance.
“At the middle to end of November, one of our employees will go and collect all the bins. Monetary donations can be made either through cheque or directly through our website, or they can also come in person and donate cash.”
The monetary donations help fill the gaps, Nayyar said.
“Every year, there are a lot of sizes which we don't have. We have to go and buy those sizes for the children in need. Since it's an ongoing project, yearly project, the need for underwear and socks never goes down,” he said.
“This ongoing commitment to this initiative, not only reflects the dedication to meet immediate needs, but also a belief in the potential of a child to thrive when provided with essential items.
“This is very important because four to 14 is the age where children kind of build their future, build the backbone for their life. If their confidence goes down during that time, then it's very hard to come by in the future.”
Nayyar is grateful for all the community support this project has received.
“It's community who helps the community. We are the right medium to do it because all the donation directly goes to these children in need,” Nayyar said.
For more information about donations, visit their website. CCA also offers sponsorship tiers, where you can donate monthly, yearly or one time.
