The school doors have closed for summer. One imagines children playing, running and swimming, enjoying long days outside with their friends, in playgrounds, on ballfields, in pools or at camp. Yet, clothing insecurity does not go on vacation and disappear on warm days. For children and teens faced with clothing insecurity, summer can be just as stressful as school, with the same limitations and constrictions. It is an issue I see first-hand at The Sharing Shelf, the nonprofit Clothing Bank for children and teens that I lead, serving Westchester County.

Clothing insecurity — the lack of sufficient, clean, seasonal and size-appropriate apparel—has profound implications in school. Children who are clothing insecure are more likely to endure bullying, be absent from school, lack confidence and suffer from low esteem.

One might think that clothing insecurity would dissipate in the summer. A child wears fewer clothes: there’s no need for a coat, sweatshirts or long pants; “just” shorts, t-shirts and a pair of sneakers. Children are not walking down the halls of school day after day, so repeating an outfit or wearing the same shorts should not matter, right? Unfortunately, access to appropriate, sufficient and clean clothing and daily essentials like socks, underwear and sneakers — ones that fit and........

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