Cara's Closet opens in Hutchinson school, honoring custodian
Mar 18, 2025
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) -- Cara Garcia has been a custodian with the Hutchinson school district for about 15 years. For the last six months of her career, she was at the Shirlie J. Hutcherson Center for Early Learning.
"I like being around the kids because kids are kids," Garcia said. "I like kid
s."
"Cara just always went above and beyond for our kids," Site Manager Melissa Starks said. "So not only was she a custodian, but she was truly part of our school family. We had kids that called her granny. She was just awesome, the best thing we could have asked for in the time of needing a custodian but also somebody to just come in and love on our kiddos."
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When Garcia was a child, she experienced the same challenges she helped the kids overcome during her time at the school.
"When I was a kid, I didn't have it so good," Garcia said. "I went to school cold, I went to school dirty, I went to school hungry. When I was here, I wanted to start a trend. If a kid was cold, I would take my hoodie off and give it to them. Here, I would go out and buy them clothes. Kids got to stay warm, fed. They need love."
Garcia says the staff is like family. When she had to stop working due to health issues, her coworkers came up with an idea.
"We just knew that Cara always had to be a part of our school based on the impact that she had made," Starks said. "And so we kind of put our heads together as a school family of how could Cara have a lasting impact? And she had such a heart for making sure that kids had the needed things, and so we didn't want to just do a tree in the yard because trees leave after you leave a building, and so we wanted something that would literally last forever."
They created Cara's Closet, which is stocked full of clothes and shoes for any child who needs them. The staff say they have used it every day since it opened in the fall.
"It's awesome," Garcia said. "It shows that the staff here care as much as I do about the kids staying warm and clean. Would I take this over a million dollars? You betcha. I could die today and be happy."
"Being able to have the resources right at our hands, when a kid needs something when a family has a fire or needs something, we're able to let them come in and get what they need," Starks said. "Or with funds, we're able to take them and just help them any way that we can so they can come to school with their best foot forward."
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Cara's coworkers say she is so much fun to be around. Mental Health Assistant Kristine Mayberry says kids having clean and warm clothes makes a big difference in the classroom.
"If a kid comes to school and they are dirty or hungry or cold or have not slept well and maybe been in the same clothes for a couple days, they're not going to feel very comfortable and safe," Mayberry said. "And if they're not comfortable and safe, they're not going to be at their best place to learn what's in the classroom that day."
Cara hopes the closets will continue forever and expand to all schools. Clothes can be dropped off at the Shirlie J. Hutcherson Center for Early Learning. The biggest need is underwear and pants for boys and girls.
"Cara, she's just going to live on with us forever," Mayberry said. "So she's made a very, very big impact. Even though she was only here for six months, she's been with the district forever, and all of us staff also have known her for a long time, too."
If you would like to nominate a person or business for Positive Connections, fill out KSN’s online contact form.
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