NORWICH – Even with December’s warmer than usual temperatures, the Norwich City School District is again teaming up with the Morrisville State College Liberty Partnership Program to make sure all students are warm when Old Man Winter comes around.

NCSD and Liberty Partnership, with the support of several community partners, have joined forces in a holiday clothing drive to provide much needed support to disadvantaged families throughout the Norwich area. For the third year, the two are working collaboratively to collect new clothing as well as monetary donations from anyone willing to lend a helping hand.

“There’s clearly a large need in our community based on the referrals we get and the interaction students have with our Liberty Partnership Program,” said Shelly Bartow, Liberty Partnership Director. “Being able to provide clothing, even though it’s only once a year, is a huge help for families.”

Although the clothing drive is a 20-plus-year-old tradition at the Norwich City School District, the help received from Liberty Partnership in recent years has provided the extra boost needed to reach more families. Last year, the two organizations provided outfits to 568 students in 214 families.

Given the increasing need from year to year, it’s become a challenge to keep up, according to co-coordinator and NCSD social worker Kelly Collins-Colosi. Monetary donations are down nearly $800 from this time last year. Hopes are to turn that around soon.

“The needs within our community have consistently increased,” she said, citing the efforts of entities like food pantries and the Chenango County chapter of Toys for Tots that help needy families during the holidays. “Clothing is a missing piece for a lot of students, so we have really gone after that to help.”

The clothing drive has received a great deal of support from local charitable organizations such as the R.C. Smith Foundation and the Broad Street Methodist Church in Norwich. Area business and non-profits, including Kerry Bio, the Raymond Corporation, NBT Bank, Golden Artist Colors, Guernsey Memorial Library, and the Norwich Family YMCA have also pitched in.

A recent fundraiser with Nina’s restaurant alone raised more than $600, Bartow noted. That’s all money that will be used to purchase clothing.

Organizations that can’t help monetarily have provided collection boxes where community members can donate new clothing items.