Teen plans clothing swap for Wheeling school

Struggling families at Jack London Middle School in Wheeling will have the chance to bring home new outfits for their children thanks to a former student and Buffalo Grove High School junior who wants to make a difference.

Mike Maley, 16, of Arlington Heights, is taking donations and organizing a clothing swap to go on at the London Middle School open house on Oct. 19.

Clothes will be on the table in the cafeteria during London’s open house and families will be able to take home whatever they need.

“I was just looking for something I could do to give back to the community,” Maley said of the project he came up with and is organizing on his own.

Maley started to collect donations this week; clothes can be dropped off in labeled plastic trash bags to London Middle School and Maley will organize them from there. Any leftover clothes will be donated to Goodwill.

As an Eagle Scout, Maley has a lot of experience giving back to his community and said he feels humbled to be able to help people around him in need.

Although this is the first year for the clothing swap, Maley said that if it goes well he’s like to do it for all of Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 next year.

“People are hurting economically and someone needs to help them, so that person might as well be you,” Maley said.