For many families, the start of a new school year is marked by a flurry of activities, including purchasing school supplies and clothing so that children enter the classroom ready to learn. However, back-to-school season can also be a major source strain for families experiencing financial hardship. For more than a century, Charity Newsies has helped to ease the burden on central Ohio families by providing students with new clothing for school, helping to boost their confidence and academic performance.
Founded in 1907, Charity Newsies began on a cold December day when three Columbus businessmen—George Baker, C.C. Philbrick, and Harry Shunk—saw a young boy on the corner of Broad and High streets selling newspapers to help support his family. Noticing that the boy was inadequately dressed for the weather, the men brought the boy inside and sold his papers for him. Soon after, the three men recruited dozens of community members to sell a special edition of the local newspaper to raise money to feed and clothe other children in need.
Subha Lembach, Executive Director of Charity Newsies
As Subha Lembach, Executive Director of Charity Newsies, explained, that same spirit of “people helping people” still drives the organization today. Through its Clothe-A-Child program, Charity Newsies provides annual back-to-school clothing assistance to eligible K-12 students who live or attend school in Franklin County. Each student receives a bag of brand-new clothing, including shirts, pants, socks, and underwear, as well as a coat, hat, and gloves.
By starting the school year with new clothing, Lembach said students experience a higher sense of self-worth, which translates to better outcomes in the classroom. “Clothing really does make a difference in terms of attendance, educational success, and just feeling confident and less susceptible to bullying,” said Lembach. “We know it makes a huge difference because we hear it from families.”
Currently, Charity Newsies serves more than 18,000 students each year through the Clothe-A-Child program, which includes students who attend public, private, charter, and vocational schools. With the need for back-to-school clothing assistance increasing in recent years, the organization has already closed its Clothe-A-Child application for the 2025-2026 school year, having reached its annual capacity.
Outside of the Clothe-A-Child program, Charity Newsies partners year-round with nonprofits to ensure that young people whose families are experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence, or recovering from a sudden disaster such as a fire or flood have access to the clothing they need.
To help further its mission, Charity Newsies offers individual and group volunteer opportunities, including for businesses and organizations looking to get involved. Additionally, on the second Saturday of December, Charity Newsies hosts its Drive Day, an annual grassroots fundraising event where volunteers sell special edition newspapers throughout the community—much like its founding members did more than 100 years ago.
Additionally, Lembach said the generous support that Charity Newsies receives from donors is crucial to the organization’s work. Over the years, The Columbus Foundation, through its Supporting Foundations and donors, has awarded numerous grants to the organization, including to support the purchase of new clothing for the Clothe-A-Child program.
“Clothing plays a huge role in the overall picture of what a child needs to thrive,” said Lembach. “Philanthropy is absolutely critical to the success of Charity Newsies because, without it, we couldn’t do what we do.”
