CLEVELAND — Every year at this time, the leaves begin to fall, temperatures begin to drop, and we all reach into our closets for our winter coats. But for many kids here in Northeast Ohio, there isn’t a winter coat hanging in the closet or if there is, it’s now two sizes too small.
That’s where Coats for Kids comes in. Each year they collect new and like-new winter coats in all sizes, infant to adult. The need is always great but especially this year in the middle of a pandemic. Many people have lost their jobs, had their hours cut, and are struggling to make ends meet.
Coats for Kids wants to make sure every child who needs a coat gets one. Collection bins are now in place at all major shopping malls, including Southpark Mall in Strongsville, and Eton on Chagrin Boulevard. Coats can also be dropped off at participating businesses like Petitti Garden Centers, Howard Hanna Real Estate Offices and more.
You can see the complete list at coatsforkidscleveland.org
In addition, Coats for Kids also accepts monetary donations so they can buy coats. For instance, you can buy a paper coat cutout at any Discount Drug Mart for one dollar and that money goes directly to Coats for Kids. If you buy one, you’ll get a dollar off coupon for Energizer batteries. That campaign goes through December 1.
Women’s clothing store Altar’d State, at Beachwood Place, Crocker Park and Summit Mall, is donating 10% of its sales on Mondays now thru December 23 to Coats for Kids.
If you are out enjoying holiday lights this year, remember Coats for Kids. Magic of Lights, a drive-thru light display at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, is providing the promo code CFK2020 when you buy a carload entry ticket for $25 at either WTAM.com or coatsforkidscleveland.org. For every code entered, Magic of Lights will donate $5 to Coats for Kids.
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Chick-Fil-A are helping too. Just purchase a $1 luminary when you visit Wild Winter Lights at the zoo any Thursday through Sunday in November and December and that money will go to Coats for Kids.
We all know how dirty our vehicles get with the sloppy weather we get this time of year. Waterway Carwash in Bainbridge, Hudson and Pepper Pike, is also accepting coats. If you donate one, now thourgh January 3, they will give you a free full service car wash coupon for your next visit. That’s a $20 value.
Coats for Kids was started back in 1981. Since then, millions of dollars have been raised and hundreds of thousands of coats have been handed out to children in need in northeast Ohio. As Executive Director Debbie Martinko told us in an interview last year, “…no matter what we have, it's still not enough.”
WKYC Studios is a proud sponsor of Coats for Kids.