đź“°BIDDEFORD | New Tiger Hub Focuses on Essentials, Dignity, and Student Leadership
By Karen Garnett, Biddeford School Department
November 2, 2026, What was once a clothing closet tucked away in the gym at Biddeford High School (BHS) has been transformed into a welcoming, student-centered space where fashion meets sustainability and students help students. The new Tiger Hub, celebrating its grand opening Thursday, October 29, 2026, brings free clothing, school supplies, and food assistance together in one location, making essential resources more accessible while empowering students to lead the effort.
For years, BHS staff envisioned a centralized location where students could access everyday necessities without barriers or embarrassment. The Tiger Hub brings that vision to life by combining the existing Tiger Boutique and backpack food program with a new school supply resource. Previously housed in gym closets, the Tiger Boutique now resembles a vintage clothing store, with organized racks, coordinated displays and mannequins showcasing outfits selected by students.
“Our goal is to create a space where every student feels welcome, comfortable and excited to visit,” said BHS Principal Martha Murray. “Whether a student needs school supplies, food for the weekend, or simply wants to find a great outfit, the Tiger Hub is about making sure students have what they need to feel confident, supported and ready to learn. Having our students take ownership of this space makes it even more meaningful.”
The school's Sustainability Club has taken responsibility for operating the Tiger Boutique, transforming what began as occasional clothing swaps into a permanent, student-run thrift store where everything is free. Led by club President and BHS senior Cordelia Kane, Vice President Avelyn Melo, and Boutique Manager Constanza Rodriguez, students sort donations, organize clothing by size and color, rotate seasonal merchandise, style mannequins and promote available items through social media.
“Fast fashion has a tremendous environmental impact, and we want students to recognize that shopping secondhand is not only sustainable, but can also be fun and fashionable,” said BHS Sustainability Club Advisor Cassidy Baranowski. “Our students are creating a space that feels like a vintage boutique rather than a traditional donation closet. They're learning leadership, organization, and responsibility while helping reduce clothing waste and making great fashion accessible to everyone.”
Beyond reducing the amount of clothing sent to landfills, the club hopes to educate students about the energy and water required to manufacture new clothing. By encouraging students of all backgrounds to shop second hand, the boutique also aims to eliminate the stigma sometimes associated with receiving donated items.
“We want the Tiger Boutique to be somewhere students are excited to shop, whether they're looking for something they need or just something that fits their style,” said Kane. “It's rewarding to know we're helping our classmates while also doing something positive for the environment. Everyone deserves to feel good about what they're wearing, and there's no reason great clothes should go to waste.”
The impact extends beyond clothing. The Tiger Hub also serves as the distribution center for the school's backpack program and Friday food bags, helping students whose families may be experiencing food insecurity. Supported by the Biddeford Education Foundation and donations from Youth Full Maine, the program provides food for students to take home for meals outside of school hours. Students in ninth- and tenth-grade Humanities PLUS classes help assemble food bags and backpacks while gaining hands-on experience in community service, inventory management, and expense tracking.
The new school supply section further supports academic success by ensuring students have access to necessary classroom materials regardless of their family's financial circumstances. Together, these resources address everyday challenges that can affect a student's confidence, sense of belonging, and ability to focus on learning.
Students may access the Tiger Hub with a staff member during the school day. The space is also expected to be open after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 3:15 p.m., coinciding with late bus availability, with additional hours offered for special events.
The Tiger Boutique will continue accepting select clothing donations based on seasonal needs. Families and community members can follow the BHS Sustainability Club on Instagram at @sustainability_bhs for current donation guidelines and requested items. The club particularly welcomes gently used name-brand clothing and unique statement pieces and plans to collect formal dresses and menswear ahead of prom season.
What began as a practical effort to organize resources has become an opportunity to build community, promote environmental responsibility, and give students a meaningful role in supporting one another. At the Tiger Hub, a donated outfit can become someone's new favorite look, a backpack of food can provide reassurance over the weekend, and a simple school supply can help a student arrive in class ready to succeed. For more information on giving, contact Community Outreach & Development Director Shelley Kane at 207-391-6885.
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