EMS Closet

Our mission is to ensure children in grades K-12 will have the everyday essentials they need to flourish and thrive in school and beyond.

EMS Closet has been operating since 2019 and has experienced continuous growth since. We are grateful for donations gifted to us from the community and we rely on the assistance of supportive and dedicated volunteers. In 2023 14,271 Richland One and 16,165 Richland Two students were living in poverty, that being a 15.9% poverty increase from 2022. In 2023 EMS Closet was able to serve 741 students across both districts, with a target for 2024 to increase the number of students served to 1,000. This past December we ran a "Pajama Day" where we were able to give around 300 pairs of new pajamas.

Testimonials

A testimonial:

I am the Parent and Family Engagement Specialist for a middle and high school in Richland County School District One in Columbia, SC. I was first made aware of Ms. Wingate/EMS through an email she sent to the Social Workers and Parent and Family Engagement Specialists in our district. She shared that she had very nice gently used or sometimes new clothing donated that she would provide to our families who needed it. She made sure the clothing was clean and sorted by gender.