Help fulfill our mission: “Anyone who needs a coat will have one.”
TEWKSBURY, Mass. (August 23, 2019) – Even in the dog days of August, it’s never too early to start thinking about starting a fall drive to help thousands of adults, children and infants who will go without a warm winter coat this winter. Celebrating 25 years of caring as New England’s largest coat drive, Coats for Kids seeks companies, nonprofits and community organizations to join its legion of caring collection partners and distribution network for the 25th annual Coats for Kids Drive. Sponsored by Anton’s Cleaners, Jordan’s Furniture and Enterprise Bank, the drive kicks off October 14th and runs through January 12, 2019. In 2018, the organization reached its goal of collecting and distributing one million coats since the program began in 1995… 1,073,306, to be exact.
“It is hard to believe we have spent the last quarter of a century helping our neighbors in need, and carrying out the Caring Partners mission to provide a coat to anyone who needs one,” said Arthur Anton Jr., COO of Anton’s Cleaners and founder of the program. “Unfortunately, cost of living has continued to rise and make expenses a hardship for New England families. It takes a village of collection partners to meet the rising need each year – over 50,000 coats are needed this year; 25 more collection partners would be incredible way to mark our 25th anniversary.”
This summer and early fall, Caring Partners relies on the collaborative efforts of 1000 local partners — schools, companies, clubs, and nonprofits – to help neighbors in need. Together, these partners helps collect, clean and distribute over 50,000 winter coats to help babies, kids and adults who otherwise wouldn’t be able to keep themselves warm this winter.
To get started, an organization simply appoints a Coats for Kids leader, registers on the antons.com/cfk website, selects a date and location, and spreads the word to collect as many warm winter coats as possible. A drive can last a day, a week, a month or the entirety of our coat drive (October 14-January 12). Partners can drop coats off at any Anton’s Cleaners, Enterprise Bank or Jordan’s Furniture location.
Since coats are a necessity for both adults and kids, all donated coats are cleaned free of charge by Anton’s Cleaners and distributed through distribution partners made up of major local nonprofit and social service agencies such as Massachusetts Community Action Programs, Salvation Army, Middlesex Human Service Agency, Women’s Lunch Place, BU Medical Center Outreach Van Project, and many more.
Coats for Kids accepts warm winter coats that are gently used, good quality, and all sizes (especially XL and infant/pre-K sizes). The drive does not accept coats with rips, tears, broken zippers, or permanent stains, nor can we accept sweatshirts, vests and spring coats. Coats are accepted through January 12th at all 42 Anton’s Cleaners, six Jordan’s Furniture stores, and 23 Enterprise Bank branches.
Coats for Kids is New England’s largest coat drive, with more than 200 school groups making up one half of all collections in 2018. Local public, parochial and independent schools experience the rewards of community service and get incentivized through the School Rewards Program™ offering editable promotional flyers and great prizes to the schools who collect the most coats per capita – leveling the playing field so everyone has a chance to win. See website for registration form and details: https://antons.com/cfk/get-involved/register-your-school/.
Partners for this year’s Coats for Kids drive include Anton’s Cleaners, Jordan’s Furniture, Enterprise Bank, Boston 25 Cares, Kiss 108FM, Jam’n 94.5, 101.7 The Bull, WBZ 1030, 97.7 The Beat, WRKO, and 100.7 WZLX.
For more information, visit contact Stephanie Littlefield, Anton’s Cleaners Community Relations, at 978-851-3721 x15 or Stephanie@antons.com.
To register your school or company online to participate or donate, or for more information, visit https://www.caringpartnersinc.org. Follow Coats for Kids on Facebook and Twitter (@antons_cfk).