If YOU don't teach these kids how to think "outside of the box", who will. When my DD was a toddler, I found myself on my own. Friends wanted to help so I was given a lot of things (and some of this was far from my taste), I was given a bed covering that I didn't have a use for. We had snow that year and my DD wanted to play outside, I didn't have a snow suite for her. But I had an overall pants pattern for a little one, and this print quilted bed thing (it was not home made). So I washed it and then pulled out the pattern and started cutting. Using my sewing stash I made a snow suite for a toddler from flannel and the bed cover. This outfit was very cute and I had people always asking "Ware did you get that outfit"? I made a couple more using different flannel to help change them up. I tried to teach my DD, that you can ALWAYS find a treasure if you look. Don't let the people stop you from helping these kids, because the kids will remember what you are taking the time to teach them for a life time.