COVINA, CA – Northview High School is prioritizing health and wellness by ensuring students’ basic needs are met through The Viking Closet, a new student-led resource center providing every student with access to free clothing, hygiene products, school supplies, and other resources needed to be ready to learn and thrive.

The Viking Closet was founded by Northview High senior Julianne Fernandez and co-founded by senior Nabhat JinJin Sanglimsuwan. The closet offers multiple areas of support: Northview Threads, which provides new or gently-used clothing, socks, and shoes; Northview Essentials, which offers an assortment of hygiene products and school supplies; a washer and dryer station for students to use as needed; and all located in the school’s wellness center, making it a hub for mental health, connection, and student wellness.

“It can be hard for students to focus on learning if their basic needs aren’t met,” Sanglimsuwan said. “Our hope is that, through The Viking Closet, we can take some of that weight off our fellow students’ shoulders. Putting everything in one place and providing these resources will build a community where every student has what they need to succeed and learn.”

The idea for The Viking Closet has been in the works for several years. As a recipient of funds from the California Community Schools Partnership Program, Northview High administrators encourage students to submit project ideas that could benefit the school community. Fernandez, who served as a Student Board Member in the 2025-26 school year, brought the idea for The Viking Closet to the District’s Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Blackmore. With their support, the project came to life.

“The most rewarding part has been watching students walk into The Viking Closet with excitement and joy. It has truly been a blessing to witness our vision come to life,” Fernandez said. “I firmly believe that every student deserves access to basic necessities without feeling ashamed, uncomfortable, or afraid to ask for help, and I am incredibly grateful that I had the support and opportunity to make this possible for our entire student community.”

The closet is staffed by student volunteers and staff supervisors, including student-athletes, Interact and Self Care Club members, Associated Student Body members, and others. The resource center is completely anonymous and all items are offered at no cost, allowing students to take what they need without the pressure of checking out items.

The Viking Closet runs on a “pay it forward” system, with students encouraged to take what they need and make their own donations when they can. Additional donations come from fundraisers run by school clubs and contributions from community partners.

“The Viking Closet is a huge group effort,” Sanglimsuwan said. “Everyone in our school community has played a crucial role in bringing this together, from students and teachers to our janitors and administrators. We are so thankful for the support.”

The Viking Closet offers both Open Hours, when students can visit and select items, as well as a referral option, through which staff can refer a student and accompany them to the closet at any time.

As co-founders, Sanglimsuwan and Fernandez both do a little bit of everything to make The Viking Closet a success. Fernandez also spearheads publicity for the resource center, while Sanglimsuwan has developed and coded an app to help manage inventory and volunteer sign-ins.

The Viking Closet held a soft launch in October and celebrated its official grand opening on Nov. 3.

“The Viking Closet is an incredible example of the services, support, and resources available to our students,” Blackmore said. “JinJin and Julianne are standout examples of what our students can do and the inspiration and drive seen across our District. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this important project to life!”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

CVUSD_VIKING_CLOSET1: Northview High School’s new Viking Closet is a student-led resource center providing every student with access to free clothing, hygiene products, and school supplies. The Viking Closet was founded by Northview High senior Julianne Fernandez (left) and co-founded by senior Nabhat JinJin Sanglimsuwan (right).

CVUSD_VIKING_CLOSET2: Northview High School’s new student-run Viking Closet provides students with free clothing and resources they need to be able to learn and thrive.