YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — The United Way of Mahoning Valley partnered with local schools for a care closet, and it’s gotten great feedback from the community.

After COVID-19, the foundation got many requests from school districts to help provide food for families and students. After schools were back up and running, faculty realized there were a lot more needs than just food that needed to be met.

A care closet is essentially a food pantry but it has other things like hygiene products, clothes, school supplies, lice kits — anything that a student may need.

Care closets were set up in Austintown, Boardman and Youngstown schools as resources for students.

Many students are using these resources.

“Sometimes it’s not the fault of the parents or the guardians, they are out working just to try and keep a roof over their head so they are doing the best that they can, so that’s where we step in,” said Roxann Sebest, vice president of United Way in Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

United Way says it is looking forward to expanding care closets even more for the community. Multiple organizations have made this possible.