Frequently Asked Questions About The New Store

The Auxiliary has been incorporated as 501(c)3 nonprofit organization since 1998. We began to operate The New Store in 2007, taking over after another organization successfully ran ‘The Store’ on Diamond St. in Mansfield for 36 years.

No, The New store does not provide winter coats at The New Store. Families in need of assistance are directed to the Friendly House in Mansfield, which conducts a ‘Coats for Kids’ program each November.

Generous donors provide us financial support to purchase new, current clothing at rock bottom prices. We have great relationships with area schools, as they identify and refer the students we help. We also depend on many volunteers to assist in sorting and hanging new clothing, as well as helping at our dressing days. Many of our volunteers are responsible high school students from National Honor Society and Key Club.

No, we do not accept used clothing at this time. We do not own our facility building and do not keep regular hours, which prevents the drop-off of items. In addition, our goal is to provide each child with new and current clothing, which oftentimes they have never had before.

No, the Richland County Children’s Auxiliary is a local organization serving children since 1998. Our mission statement is: ‘Working together to better the lives of children in Richland County.’

The Richland County Children’s Auxiliary headquarters and The New Store are located inside the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center building, also known as the Mid-Ohio Conference Center, at 890 West Fourth St., Mansfield, OH 44906. We have a separate mailing address: P.O. Box 2525, Mansfield, OH 44906.

All students we serve are from Richland County schools. We currently assist Mansfield City, Madison, Lucas, Crestview, Lexington, Ontario, Plymouth-Shiloh, Clearfork, and many charter and private schools. All funds serve Richland County children.

All students qualify to attend The New Store based on financial need. A child must be enrolled in the free lunch program at their school, which places their family income at 185% or less of the federal poverty guidelines. A student can attend The New Store twice during the course of a school year. If they attend in the fall at the start of the school year, they must wait until spring to return.

Each child receives 3 pair of pants, 4 shirts, a hooded jacket, new tennis shoes, a package of socks, a package of underwear, a bag of personal hygiene items, and any ‘extra’ things that we have available, such as a belt, pajamas, hairband, tights, undershirts, etc.

No, we are not a United Way agency; we are independent.

Please refer to the section ‘How to Help – Donate Dollars’ for assistance if you wish to make a contribution online. Checks can be mailed to: The New Store, P.O. Box 2525, Mansfield, OH 44906

Please refer to the section ‘How to Help – Donate Time’ to become a volunteer. We also welcome organizations to conduct drives to collect items such as belts, pajamas, personal care items, etc. We offer a speaker to an organization’s meetings if you would like to learn more.

The Auxiliary has conducted a Christmas project since 1996, assisting 950 children in 2011. Each child receives a bag filled with needed items and desired toys. The Auxiliary recruits donors who ‘adopt’ children and spend $100 or more per child. We benefit greatly from the generous members of Crossroads Community Church, which not only adopts 500 of the children, but hosts the distribution of all the gifts. The Auxiliary also conducts a school supply project, and 500 students receive a backpack filled with school supplies to start the new school year ready. The Auxiliary regularly examines our efforts to most positively impact the lives of local children. All of our endeavors are highly collaborative with donors, volunteers, and referring social service agencies.