Students from Brown Academy join hands in this Times Free Press file photo.For many of the 300 students at Brown Academy, even having a clean uniform to put on in the morning isn’t a guarantee.
More than 91 percent of the downtown elementary school’s students are on free and reduced-price lunch, said Principal Emily Baker. And since the school serves all but one of the local homeless shelters, school officials always try to keep fresh uniforms on-hand. But they run out. Frequently.
The Downtown Council of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce hopes to be able to change that by providing uniforms for each student. So far, 72 uniforms have been purchased.
“We still have a ways to go, but at least we do have some uniforms right now so when the kids come in we have something to give them,” Baker said, adding that just $25 is enough to purchase a pair of pants, shirt, socks and underwear.
To provide the rest of the uniforms, the council is partnering with downtown businesses to raise the several thousand dollars still needed.