Swap Shop Helps South Side Students in Need

By Isabella Franco (9)
isabella.franco@fwcsstudents.org

October 3, 2023

The swap shop is a place for people and mostly students where you could go and come as you please if you need something to borrow, or most likely need. It is a place where you could get anything that you may need, and there's no catch to it. The swap shop is simply a place where you can go if you get dress-coded, or you don't have gym clothes, or even if you may need essentials such as hygiene, shoes, and etc.

“In all of my 50 years of teaching I have met many kids that have needed things and items during school, " swap shop creator Cathy McFadden said.

In the past, students could only get items from an international clothing bank, which is far from school and it's also during the day already.

“If there was any way or possibility that I could possibly help those kids in need, then I would voluntarily put my all into it," McFadden said.

It was her idea that kids could bring things from their own homes that were washed and they could add it to the swap shop for those in need of it, then swap what they have out for something from the shop.

“You don't have to have something in order to get something from the shop. If there's something that you would need," McFadden said.

McFadden claims that instead of always bringing something to the shop when you need something you could just get whatever you need from the shop, stating that you don't have to bring something to get something.

“The swap shop is open to any student and adult or faculty at southside high school, anyone could get what they need and I would be happy to help,” McFadden said.

“It benefits the school by kids being able to just walk down to the swap shop and get whatever they need whenever they need it," Montserrat Nino (9) said.

She finds it amazing how we are able to just go down to a classroom and whatever we are in need of is right there and we don't have to worry about anything.

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