COEUR d'ALENE - The goal is clothes well before winter.

The COEUR Group, in collaboration with St. Vincent de Paul, wants to make that happen.

It just needs a little help from friends.

The program is called Student Threads. It will give low-income families a chance to stock up on clothes for children.

"When you got a 10 percent unemployment rate," said Jeff Conroy, St. Vincent director, "you've got kids going without."

While many programs, such as the COEUR Group's Locker Program, help students with school supplies and food, clothes seemed to be left off the list, COEUR member Dustin Ainsworth said.

So the group of young, community-minded businessmen in Coeur d'Alene partnered with St. Vincent de Paul to get those kids new duds.

With enough support - and the two groups have already pitched in $700 - the program would distribute St. Vincent thrift store vouchers to Borah and Bryan elementary schools.

Counselors at those schools - identified as the pilot schools because they have the highest number of students receiving subsidized lunches - would then distribute the gift cards to the students.

Then those families can redeem them at the thrift store.

But as a kicker, Wednesdays are 70 percent off at the store.

T-shirts, normally $1.50, are 70 percent off on hump day. Same for jeans, normally $2.50 each. And the store is stocked with name brands.

So a $15 voucher can go "a long, long ways," Ainsworth said.

Now the goal is to get it up and running this fall. What's needed is a little more financial support to ensure it can take off. Once it does, fundraisers will keep it in full gear.

Info: 676-1095