Catherine
was an honor student and valedictorian of her class at Clifford
Scott High School in East Orange, New Jersey. She was
aspiring to be a doctor. A 14 year old in a stolen vehicle
rammed into the car driven by Courtney, Catherine's twin sister,
killing Catherine . She was buried in her prom dress. In an
essay she once wrote Catherine said, "People will know
my name not for fame or fortune or out of Vanity, but they will
know me because I have helped someone."
Catherine Closet
needs help making High School girls' dreams come true.
Over 16,000 girls (since inception) in New York/New Jersey have benefited
from the generosity of Catherine Closet, Inc., a
non-profit organization that was responsible for dressing girls
in designer Armani, Ralph Lauren, and Jessica McClintock for
their prom. Students who completed 30 - 100 hours of community
service with Catherine's Closet, received scholarships for their
outstanding service in our organization.
Three chapters of Catherine's Closet were launched in the
lower eastside of New York, Perth Amboy, New Jersey and Tucson,
Az.
Sandra Kessler,
Catherine's Closet Founder, collected $80,000 worth of toys
and books, then distributed the gifts to over 10,000 children in
Newark and East Orange. Media coverage for the aforementioned
events has been viewed on BET Nightly News, ABC, CBS, NBC,
Channel 9, Channel 13, on the Channel 12 News segment -
"Positively New Jersey", and on the God Squad. Articles have
appeared in the Star Ledger, New York Times, People Magazine,
the Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Prom Time
Magazine, as well as many local newspapers throughout New
Jersey.
Over the past six years the importance of having students do
community service with our organization has become a significant
mission of Catherine's Closet. Self-esteem is elevated with
participation in the project . Many students have collected
gowns, designed and redesigned gowns for admission to F.I.T. and
several girls have become spokeswomen for the project.
Founder, Dr. Sandy Kessler -
Biography - Click Here
