Uniforms to Be Donated to Pascagoula, Miss., Schoolchildren

By Melissa M. Scallan, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Sep. 29–Students in the Pascagoula School District will wear uniforms this year, but their parents won’t have to pay for them.

Clothing stores, manufacturers and churches from across the country are sending uniforms to the district, which they will distribute to students.

Hurricane Katrina damaged about 95 percent of homes in the Pascagoula School District, and students have lost their clothes to wind or water.

“We’re trying to make things as normal as possible for the kids,” said Debbie Anglin, spokeswoman for the district. “And uniforms are part of that routine.”

The district has begun “Operation Red, White and Blue,” and organizations that are sending uniforms are asked to send red, white or blue polo-style shirts. Students also wear navy or khaki pants or skirts as part of the uniform.

“They might not be here the first day of school, but we will distribute them as soon as they arrive,” Anglin said. “We’re hoping within the next couple of weeks we will have plenty of uniforms for parents to pick up.”

She said if students’ uniforms were lost in the storm, they should still dress appropriately for school until they receive new uniforms.

All schools in the district are scheduled to begin classes Oct. 6.

Anglin said they have received school supplies from districts throughout the country, so parents don’t need to worry about lost notebooks and pens.

“We’ve got enough school supplies for every child in this district,” she said.

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