The UniCycle program provides school clothing to students in need within the Metro Nashville Public School (MNPS) system by collecting new and gently-used items in schools and distributing them at the school level and through a partnership with the Homeless Education Resource Office (HERO).
We answer the question of “What can I do with my child’s outgrown school clothing?” while removing an obstacle to education for students in need, lessening the workload for MNPS support staff, offering more clothing choices to students whose families have limited budgets, and giving new life to clothing that is “outgrown, not worn out.” This program serves thousands of students, through stocked UniCycle Closets in about 100 schools, and has diverted more than 40,000 items of school clothing from being recycled to being re-used during the 2024/25 school year.
Is your school a UniCycle partner, or are you thinking of becoming one?
Here are some resources for a closer look into how we work and what it means to be a UniCycle Coordinator at your school. It’s a fun and easy role, doesn’t take much time, and you’ll be helping students both in your school and throughout the district in a simple, direct way every day! We’re ready to help get you started.
What do we collect?
UniCycle collects and distributes “outgrown, not worn out” items to MNPS students. Together, we’re giving outgrown school clothing a second life, removing barriers to education, and creating community in our schools. This means that we collect what students wear to school – elementary, middle or high schools with various school dress code requirement. Donations made at schools fill each school’s own UniCycle Closet for use by any student at any time; extras go to the UniCycle warehouse to support students in unstable housing or be sent to another UniCycle partner school.
You’re not simply donating to one school, but to a network across the city that works together to ensure each school closet has what students need!
See below for a list of items that are needed by schools with various dress code requirements. Clean out closets– it will all be put to use by Nashville students who will start their day with comfort and confidence.
- School Spirit Wear – any MNPS school
- Polo-style shirts
- Khaki, black or navy shorts, pants, skirts and uniform dresses and jumpers
- Leggings and Belts
- Hoodies and coats in season
- Jeans, joggers, athletic or other shorts
- T-Shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies
- ALL SIZES of all of the above
- Packages of new underwear! All sizes; all kinds.
Where can you donate?
- You can donate at any UniCycle partner school – the collection basket is generally in the main lobby or sometimes even the front porch. (Thank you UniCycle partner schools!) If you don’t have a student in a UniCycle school, check the map and drop at the location nearest to you.
- Be sure to look at our non-school community partner drop spots, too, and check our Instagram and Facebook accounts for any pop-up donation spots.
- Come to drop off and see us at UniCycle on Wednesdays during the school year from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Buena Vista Elementary School! This is when school support staff is welcome to shop, so you’ll see us in action. Come to the front of the school and look for the door with the UniCycle signage. 1531 Ninth Ave. North, Nashville, TN 37208.
How We Work
We’re committed to truly serving our students, ensuring they have clothing that not only “fits” but “fits in.” Here’s all the ways we distribute items to students and families:
- Through on-site UniCycle Closets in MNPS schools
- During Warehouse Wednesdays, a weekly session when we open our doors for school support staff, UniCycle volunteers, social workers, school counselors and other community partners to “shop” for specific students or to keep their in-school UniCycle closets full and at the ready
- At our back-to-school shopping experiences for families at the Nashville Rescue Mission and through collaborations with other family shelters to meet specific needs quickly
- We take requests for closet refills or specific student needs from our network of school counselors, social workers and other in-school community support staff on a daily basis. Boxes are packed with what they need and sent out in inter-office MNPS mail for a quick turnaround!
Our work significantly reduces the time required for social workers, school support staff, and community partners to address clothing needs. A single phone call, email, text, or visit to Warehouse Wednesday typically resolves clothing needs quickly, using far fewer resources than a disconnected network. Click below to find UniCycle Partner Schools and collection points.
UniCycle is the most reliable and consistent clothing support partner! Whether it is visiting the warehouse to get pants for a student who outgrew theirs, making sure that young girls navigating their cycle have access to clean pants and underwear, or getting a box full of coats during a winter cold snap- UniCycle is there! By ensuring access to clean, well-fitting clothes, UniCycle helps us keep our students in school and learning.
Jenn Dewall
Wright Middle School
UniCycle is the most reliable partner our school has. Their team is unmatched as their responsiveness, kindness, and resource packed office directly improves students’ success. They have exceeded the true meaning of partnership by taking part in the needs and wants of families, students, and community members of our cluster.
Jinayra Hernandez Castro
Community School Coordinator, Glencliff High School
Ways to Partner with UniCycle
Our signature school clothing recycling program works and has become a staple of the public school community over the last ten years. UniCycle is volunteer-led and relies primarily on donations of gently-used items (with new underwear drives and a few fundraisers thrown in!)
See below how you can support our work – funding is always helpful as we stretch dollars to fill needs; school clothing donations are our lifeline; hosting a drive or becoming a UniCycle community or school partner is a win-win situation!
Donate Funds
Give to the UniCycle program where funds can be used thriftily to purchase new underwear and critically-needed items that are running low, so we are always stocked.
Donate Items
Drop off gently used clothing, shoes, new socks or underwear at one of our many collection points in Nashville, including most MNPS schools and each Wednesday during the school year at Buena Vista Elementary from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. See the collection points below to find the best location for you.
How to Host a Drive
or Become a UniCycle Partner School
Would you like to host a drive? Is your school already a UniCycle partner school or would you like to become one? Our program works by getting donations to where they need to be – we’d love to have you on board!
Did you know that there’s a Summer Drop Spot for @unicycle.nashville at @fidonashville?! Donate new or gently used school clothing items and we’ll get them to a Nashville student in need in time for back-to-school. 🎒👕👟 Learn more and see other summer drop spots with the pinned post on our page!
#nashvillecommunityconnections #unicycle #donate #nashville #philanthropy
Do you have “outgrown, not worn out” school clothing donations for our @unicycle.nashville program? 🩳👕There are plenty of summer drop spots to get items out of your house and onto their shelves this summer! Look to @margaretmaddoxymca and @greenhillsfamilyymca in June, @fidonashville and @bongoeast in June and July, @bellevue.family.ymca in July and @sequoiaswimandtennis all summer! Don’t forget the usual UniCycle community drop spots at @elitemartialartsbellevue @hillwoodpc @danceinbloom and @nashvillebaseballacademy 🤝💙
Girl Scouts do s`more than just selling cookies - they are community heroes!
Three dedicated Girl Scouts from Troop #1445 recently completed their Silver Award Project in collaboration with the HERO team. As part of their initiative, they created custom care bags filled with essential items for girls, which were distributed through the program.
We are so proud of these girls for their hard work and dedication to serving their local Nashville community!
@fleetfeetnashville @crcmidtn @jclaxnashville @michele_steiner_harrell @heatherpowell615 @gsmidtn
#CommunityService #GirlScouts #HERO
What is a McKinney-Vento student (also locally referred to as HERO students in Nashville)?
At HERO, we work to provide necessary resources, supports and referrals to help homeless children and youth to be successful in school and have a positive school experienceđź’™
Learn all about who classifies as a HERO student and how you can help today at https://zurl.co/gblHD
Let’s unbox these amazing custom care bags made by Girl Scout Troop 1445 ❤️ These are filled with essential items for girls navigating unstable housing. Thank you SO much to these girls for their hard work and service to our community and our HERO Program🫶🏻
#nashvillecommunity #girlscouts #nashville
Are there clothing items in your child`s closet that have not been worn all year? Whether it`s outgrown or gently used pieces that no longer get any love, now is the perfect time to declutter!
As the school year wraps up, take a few moments to go through your closets and set aside clothing that can make a difference in another child`s lifeđź’™ Keep an eye out for UniCycle summer drop spots coming soon!
Year-end celebrations are in full swing! Our collective crew was honored to be nominated as top district partners in two spaces where we thrive - HERO’s Sheila Decker in the First Responder category, and the UniCycle school clothing program as a Basic Needs provider. Thank you, @mnps_fcp! 💙🤝 @mnps_hero @unicycle.nashville
Recently, we made some Nashville Community Connections between the @Community Resource Center, @MNPS HERO, and West End Synagogue !đź’™
As part of their annual springtime Social Action Day, temple members collected and donated food to stock the HERO Pantry, helped organize donations, and packed HERO Hygiene Kits at our HERO offices.
These kits, which contain full-size shampoo, body wash, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and a toothbrush, were then distributed to middle and high school HERO students across the district. Students receive these essential hygiene items upon enrollment, and this event provided a much-needed springtime refresh!
We are so grateful to have spent time with these amazing organizations and for the impact they have made in our HERO student`s lives!
