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Free winter clothing for those in need available at Southridge Mall until Sunday

Our Children Our Future and Cooper Equipment Rental team up once again for annual clothing drive
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Derek Cashmore of Cooper Equipment Rental and Suzanne Nicholson of Our Children Our Future unveiled the more than 17,000 donations received as part of this year’s winter clothing drive. The clothing is available free of charge to those in need, and is being distributed at the Southridge Mall. (Ryan Marcotte / Sudbury.com)

Unfortunately, not everyone in Greater Sudbury has access to warm winter clothing. Fortunately, Our Children Our Future and Cooper Equipment Rental have teamed up once again for a winter clothing drive.

The Winter Clothing Drive Open House begins today at Southridge Mall, which provided space to host the event and store the donated clothing.

Coats, snow pants, hats and mitts, and socks for children and adults are available. The open house goes from today until Nov. 17. You can visit between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For the past five years, Cooper Equipment Rentals Limited and Our Children Our Future, have partnered together in order to help people who are struggling with outfitting themselves and their families with warm winter attire. 

"There's a need that grows every day,” said Derek Cashmore, regional sales manager for Cooper Equipment Rental. “It's so difficult now with our unforgiving climate and our sometimes unforgiving economic situations in the city, that people just need that extra hand.

"They have to choose between meat, heat, and feet so in other words they have to pay the heating bills, they've got to put food in the fridge or they've got to put warm clothing on themselves, and a lot of times at the end of the month there isn't enough jingle left in the jeans."

So far this year the drive collected 17,968 winter clothing items through donations, and are still accepting more.

"We accept donations over these five days so if you have anything bring it in we'll accept it and put it out and we totally appreciate it," said Susan Nicholson, executive director of Our Children Our Future. "We have a great community, and the spirit of giving in this community is amazing." 

For more information about the winter clothing drive, visit facebook.com/OurChildren.OurFuture.Sudbury/.    

Ryan Marcotte is a co-operative education student from Lasalle Secondary School.


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