Hundreds of local schoolchildren will have access to new mittens and hats when they need them this winter thanks to the efforts of All Nations Church.
“This began when we got a request from Queen Elizabeth Public School for 194 pairs of mittens a month ago,” said Rev. Jeremy Mahood.
“We suddenly realized there was an incredible need in the community none of us ever really thought about. We didn't think about children going to school without mittens and hats. Who would have thought that?”
Parishioners at the church donated 220 pairs of mittens and hats.
Then a parishioner tracked down a large pallet filled with hats and mitts at a warehouse in Toronto, and sought sponsorships from local businesses to purchase it and ship it to Sudbury.
That pallet contained 1,800 hat and mitten sets, as well as 300 additional pairs of mittens.
The winter clothing, which ranges in size from infant to adult, is being distributed to more than 20 local schools. The smallest items were sent to the Infant Food Bank.
“The real exciting part is when you call the school and ask 'Do you need mitts?'” Mahood said.
“They'll say 'Yes we could use a few.' We say 'Well what would be your dream number?' They say 'We could use 200.' We say 'OK we'll give them to you,' and they're stunned.”
Sudbury.com caught up with Mahood on Tuesday afternoon, as he dropped off a donation of 350 hats and pairs of mittens at MacLeod Public School.
Principal Lynn MacDonell said she thinks the donation is “terrific.”
“It's difficult for parents sometimes to stretch the budget,” she said. “And so when kids lose their mitts, sometimes parents have to wait until the next payday to replace things.
“This means parents won't have to stretch the money quite so far sometimes, which is wonderful.”
When kids show up without mitts and hats on cold days, they'll no longer be forced to stay in at recess, MacDonell said.
“Our kids love being outside in the winter, and this will give every child here an opportunity to go outside and enjoy our wonderful Northern Ontario weather,” she said.
