SUNRISE, Fla. \u2014 As students across Broward County return to classrooms after winter break, some families are facing a familiar challenge: the cost of school uniforms.<\/p>\n
At Horizon Elementary School in Sunrise, that burden is being eased thanks to a local Girl Scout who turned a personal struggle into a community solution.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy school counselor, Mrs. Shine, brought this initiative to me, and we thought it would be a great idea,\u201d said Thaddeus Smith, principal of Horizon Elementary.<\/p>\n
With inflation and rising costs squeezing household budgets, buying new uniforms can be difficult for families with growing children. For many students, a new semester typically means new khakis and polo shirts, expenses that can add up quickly.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where Gracie Canedy comes in.<\/p>\n
Canedy, a Sunrise student and longtime Girl Scout, has been involved in scouting since age 5. She participates as a Juliet, meaning she works independently rather than as part of a troop.<\/p>\n
For her Girl Scout Gold Award \u2014 the organization\u2019s highest honor \u2014 Canedy was required to design a project that creates lasting change in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew it had to be something that would still be here after I leave,\u201d Canedy said.<\/p>\n
Drawing from her family\u2019s experience with thrifting and stretching a budget, Canedy launched what she calls the \u201cCompassion Closet,\u201d a free uniform closet housed at Horizon Elementary.<\/p>\n
\u201cA struggle I thought of from when I was a kid was accessing uniforms,\u201d she said. \u201cThey can be very expensive \u2014 20, 25 bucks a pair \u2014 and the average kid needs about three. And when they\u2019re little, they grow rapidly.\u201d<\/p>\n
The closet is stocked with racks of khaki pants and solid-color polo shirts. Students can take what they need at no cost. Every piece has been donated, sorted and organized by Canedy herself.<\/p>\n
Since launching the project, Canedy has already helped at least 16 South Florida families, with dozens more uniforms ready to be distributed as demand grows.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfe0 News From Your Neighborhood<\/p>\n
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