Walmart awards grant to DeWanna’s Community Closet
By Scott Waldrop
DeWanna Tarver received a $20,000 grant on behalf of DeWanna’s Community Closet from Walmart Inc. These funds are issued to help Calcasieu Parish Public School students restart and return to the education they pursued prior to Hurricanes Laura and Delta. The grant is a portion of $2.5 million in cash and product that Walmart committed to Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas this past September. “Our hearts go out to those affected, and we gladly leverage our resources to assist where needed.” Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of corporate affairs for Walmart Inc. “Our local Walmart stores have been wonderful partners to the closet and we proudly add Walmart Inc, to the list of generous donors who have so graciously invested in our mission,” DeWanna Tarver.
About Dewanna’s Closet
DeWanna opened her closet in October 2016. It all started with a simple shopping trip. DeWanna found uniforms on sale and decided to hold on to them until a student outgrew old uniforms or the need arose for new ones. She quickly found out the need was already present in many Calcasieu Parish schools and it was greater than she’d imagined.
The need for uniforms, shoes, and supplies is not a demographic one- it is parish wide. And it’s not as simple of an issue as neglect, but one of hard working parents, grandparents, and the rising demand for more supplies every year. Students have enough distractions in and out of the classroom every day that hinder their learning environments. DeWanna’s Closet aims to eliminate one of those distractions by making sure students are equipped for the classroom every day.
DeWanna’s Closet is a 501c3 non-profit organization that seeks out the needs of educators in the Calcasieu Parish School Board system and attempts to meet those needs as resources allow. The Closet serves children ages 3 years through high school. Everything they distribute is brand new, and ready for students upon delivery. DeWanna’s Closet has a heart to not only meet the needs, but to exceed in quality for the students of Calcasieu Parish. Invest in the future of Calcasieu Parish by empowering our teachers and students one need at a time.
