BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) — The United Way’s Care Closet program is expanding to help students at Boardman Center Intermediate School, providing items that may have been unaffordable otherwise.

The program provides clothes, food and school supplies for free to students in need, something United Way Vice President Roxann Sebest says is helpful in these tough economic times.

“This is where we come in and can really fill that gap,” Sebest said. “Right now — like you said –with gas prices and grocery prices up, you know we need to step up even more, and we need those donors even more.”

Sweeney car dealers are pledging all money raised from this year’s Operation Santa program to kickstart the fundraising effort. The car dealership donates $50 per vehicle sold to fund the Care Closet.