Christ Child Society Clothing Center opens doors for the season
MISHIWAKA, Ind. -- Today is the opening day for The Christ Child Society Clothing Center for their 2026 season. The first day was packed with parents and children, with staff saying this is typically due to kids' growth spurts over the summer and the need for school uniforms with school starting soon.
The center is donation based, so everything that is given back to the community was given by the community. They are always in need of winter boots, especially given the winters experienced in the area.
The Clothing Center will be open every Wednesday through mid-December, as well as five Sunday afternoons and nine Thursday evenings, in order to accommodate the over 5,000 children in St. Joseph County who will receive clothing this year. Each family leaves with large bags full of clothing, a book per child, and dental supplies.
Families at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for clothing. All families must have a referral form to receive clothing. They can obtain a referral form from one of over 40 agencies, including Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul and WIC as well as South Bend PHM and Catholic and private schools in St. Joseph County. A complete list of Referral Agencies can be found on the CCS website.