One Warm Coat kicks off 25th season of giving
One Warm Coat, a national nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing a free, warm coat to any person in need, kicks off its new season of giving celebrating a 25-year milestone of warming communities.
Since its start in 1992, the organization has positively impacted communities and lives across the country by getting coats to millions of neighbors in need.
Coats are distributed for free and without discrimination to anyone in need, including children, students, the homeless, working men and women, seniors on fixed incomes, those living in nursing facilities and so many others.
In the past 25 years, One Warm Coat has inspired tremendous giving and generosity among individuals and organizations:
• One Warm Coat has facilitated more than 27,000 coat drives
• Coat drives have been held in every state and 10 countries
• To date, more than 5 million coats have been distributed
• Funds are used efficiently, with an average of .50 per coat
• More than 10,000 companies within different industries have worked with One Warm Coat, including Coca-Cola, Delta, Brooks Brothers, Glad and Eddie Bauer to name a few.
"We're incredibly proud of our accomplishments - what started with one coat drive in San Francisco 25 years ago has spread warmth across the country with more than 27,000 coat drives," said Jennifer Stockard, president and chief executive officer. "However, we realize that there is still a great need - nearly 50 million Americans are living in poverty -- and we hope to encourage even more donations with our 25th Anniversary season and the help of our amazing supporters."
One Warm Coat provides the tools and resources needed to hold a successful coat drive. All it takes is six easy steps!
Once a drive is registered, One Warm Coat sends Ambassadors (individuals, schools, community groups, church groups and businesses) all of the materials needed to hold a successful coat drive, including a banner, box labels, stickers and more. Once coats are collected, they are distributed in the local communities, through One Warm Coat's network of nonprofit partners, to any person in need, without charge, discrimination or obligation.
There are many ways to get involved with One Warm Coat. Individuals can hold a coat drive, donate a coat to a coat drive in their neighborhood or donate funds.
Learn more by visiting onewarmcoat.org/youcanhelp.
To make a donation right now, text "WARM" to 80100 to donate $10 or text "COAT" to 80100 to donate $5.
Some of the local drives include:
• StartingPoint Realty, 1930 Thoreau Drive, Suite 175 in Schaumburg, from Sept. 24-30
• Sport Clips, 1248 S. Naper Blvd. in Naperville, from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31
• Prairieview Elementary School, 699 Plainfield Road in Downers Grove, from Oct. 9 to Dec. 8
• Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 504 E. Diggins St. in Harvard through Oct. 27
• Carhartt - Gurnee, 7055 W. Grand Ave. in Gurnee, through Dec. 31
Share the warmth with @onewarmcoat using the hashtags #warmamillion, #igavewarmth #onewarmcoat
About One Warm Coat:
The organization began in 1992 with its first coat drive on a Thanksgiving weekend in San Francisco. Since its inception, One Warm Coat has grown as a national organization supporting over 3,500 coat drives each year. In dedicating the last 25 years to helping provide a warm coat to anyone in need, free of charge, OWC has received countless awards such as a Top-Rated Nonprofit by Great Nonprofits, a Gold Star Nonprofit by Guidestar and has partnered with companies such as Coca-Cola, Delta and Brooks Brothers just to name a few. You can learn more at: https://www.onewarmcoat.org.