About 4,000 pieces of clothing are collected annually by the United Way during the Coats for Kids campaign.
Linda Dupuis, community initiatives manager at United Way, said there’s a need for each and every piece that comes in.
It’s getting cold now, so we’re really hoping people will be checking out their closets and bringing in the coats they don’t need.
Linda Dupuis,
community initiatives manager at United Way
“We find homes for them all,” she said. “If there’s a few left at the end, we give them to our agencies that serve people throughout the winter.”
Donations of lightly used coats, jackets and ski pants are being collected throughout October. All Sudbury Steam Cleaners locations, Uptown Cleaners, Bright Spot Dry Cleaners, Starlight Cleaners and Chelmsford Cleaners are all accepting outerwear donations. “It’s getting cold now, so we’re really hoping people will be checking out their closets and bringing in the coats they don’t need,” Dupuis said.
From Oct. 27 to Nov. 12, people can stop by the distribution centre located in the Rainbow Centre to pick up outerwear for themselves and their families.
“It’s coats for grown-ups too,” she said. “It really does service the entire community.”
Before coats are put on the shelf, they are cleaned by Sudbury Steam Cleaners and Uptown Cleaners.
Again this year, United Way has partnered with the Canadian Red Cross to offer families hand-knit hats, scarves and mittens as well.
About 70 volunteers knit throughout the year to be able to provide warm winter wear for people in need. Currently, there are about 2,700 items ready to be worn.
Once the distribution centre opens, volunteers will be needed to help run it. To volunteer, or for more information about the Coats for Kids campaign, phone 705-560-3330 ext. 222 or e-mail [email protected]
.
