OASIS (Outreach Assisting Students in Schools) Opportunities is an organization that provides necessities to Hillsborough County students in need. The nonprofit has six programs that serve students (pre-K-12) in all 250 schools within the Hillsborough County School District. It was established in 2001 and has grown to service over 11,000 students per year.
Bloomingdale High School is a drop-off site. OASIS Opportunities executive director Dawn Shulman is grateful for the difference that Bloomingdale is having.
“Partnerships with organizations like Bloomingdale High School ensure that OASIS Opportunities can provide all students with equal access to essentials like clothing and hygiene items for school. These items are critical to helping students build their self-confidence, feel like they fit in with their peers and meet school dress code requirements,” Shulman said.
OASIS Opportunities works closely with school social workers. The social workers identify students in need and ensure they get the necessary resources to overcome barriers for attending school daily.
Flossie Parsley, Bloomingdale High School social worker, has utilized OASIS Opportunities on a routine basis to ensure students have clothes to wear to school. She is thrilled that Bloomingdale continues to partner with OASIS.
“Prior to the pandemic, Bloomingdale personnel wanted to start their own clothes closest, which was way out of the school’s scope, so I reached out to OASIS to partner as being a drop-off site so that we could help them fulfill needs,” Parsley said.
Donations for OASIS can be brought to Bloomingdale’s front office. The most-needed items include:
• New or gently used clothing (uniform and nonuniform styles, including youth sizes 2T to adult 5X).
• Tennis shoes.
• New socks and underwear (youth and adult sizes).
• Hygiene items (toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, lotion, hairbrushes for all hair types and soap).
Local families in need can get support for students by calling their school’s office and requesting to speak to the school social worker. Businesses and community members can also help OASIS Opportunities serve students by hosting a clothing or hygiene item drive, volunteering at an OASIS site or sponsoring the OASIS Pop-Up Shop.
For more information about OASIS Opportunities and how to help, visit www.oasisopportunities.org. For questions about donating at Bloomingdale High School, contact Parsley at flossie.parsley@hcps.net.
