Tiger'sden

Tiger’s Den has been helping Warrensburg R6 students and their families since October 2014 providing school supplies, clothes, household items, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, and some sporting equipment. Students as young as preschool are helped, and Tiger’s Den is available until the child graduates from high school. It is located at Warrensburg Middle School’s Field House where the items are stored and given out. There are many different reasons why students and their families use Tiger’s Den, and no explanation or paperwork is needed to acquire items from there. 

“Tiger's Den can provide a student that may have a situational need that comes up just for the day or someone forgot to bring something for a class or needs to borrow shoes for PE,” said Doug Conley, Warrensburg Middle School Student Services Coordinator. “Students may spill something on their clothes, and we can provide them something for the day or just something to use while we wash the item of clothing that may have gotten dirty.”

It can also help the students’ families living in Warrensburg with essential items, serving as a bridge to link them with additional community resources, Conley continued. 

Tiger’s Den was a created eight years ago when Brooke Shanks, who was the WMS Family and Consumer Science teacher then, and Conley partnered with Shanks’ class to come up with additional food resources for middle and high school students. As the program was being developed, they realized that additional items were needed and could be provided district wide.

Central Office was very supportive and provided a space for this to take place. In addition, through the donations of Hank and Marilyn Hamann and some local agencies, Tiger's den was created said Conley.

“There is no government funding for this program as it is solely supported through the donations made by the wonderful community and on-going support from Hank and Marilyn Hamann, and a couple of local churches that will at times do a drive or make a monetary donation,” Conley continued.

Tiger’s Den takes donations all year around to include monetary donations, snacks that are individually wrapped, gently used clothing of all sizes (2T-XXXL), laundry supplies, school supplies, cleaning supplies, and especially hygiene items. Donations can be dropped off at the middle school, by contacting Doug Conley at 660-747-5612, or tax- deductible monetary donations can also be made on line at the Warrensburg Schools Foundations under the support a specific scholarship or fund, https://securelb.imodules.com/...

“One thing that seems to be in demand now is deodorant and chapstick, but any donation is appreciated,” said Conley. “But the items that are always in demand are shoes, coats, gloves, backpacks and snacks.”

Tiger’s Den is available anytime when school is in session, and arrangements can be made with Doug Conley during summer break and after hours.

“Donations come and go in waves,” Conley said. “Many times when people go through their closets or as their own children grow, they will donate. We even have prom dresses and suits available.”

No donation is wasted. For items that Tiger's Den can’t use or have an abundance of, Conley will take them to other local agencies to support them as well such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Salvation Army, or RISE.   

“The reason donations are needed now is just due to the growing need community wide, and the cost of everything being so high these days. It helps bridge a gap that could be there for a student to have enough food, supplies for school or even have the things needed to participate in an extracurricular activity,” Conley continued. “The thing that is nice about Tiger's Den is the student often shops for themselves and they take some ownership and pride in what they get.”   

Photo:

Claire Mannering, WMS 8th grader and Navigators’ Group member, and Doug Conley, WMS Student Services Coordinator, inventorying clothes at Tiger’s Den. Tiger’s Den is a place where Warrensburg students and their families can get clothing, school supplies, snacks and other items for free. Donations are also accepted anytime.