Coats For Kids is once again asking the community to help local children stay warm this winter.
Through the month of November, Volunteer Center of Fort Wayne will be collecting new or gently-used coats, scarves, hats and mittens for children across Northeast Indiana as part of the organization's 24th annual Coats For Kids Drive.
Volunteer Center held a kickoff to the coat drive on Thursday, November 8, at MLK Montessori School. Officials with the Volunteer Center were joined by Fort Wayne mayor Tom Henry, Fort Wayne firefighters, and local business and community leaders, who passed out coats, hats and gloves to children.
PSM and Parkview Ortho Hospital are pleased to help out in the effort. Coats, scarves, hats and gloves can be dropped off at Parkview Ortho Hospital, 11130 Parkview Circle Drive, Entrance 7, in Fort Wayne and the Parkview Ortho Express walk-in clinic, 3946 Ice Way - Entrance 2, in Fort Wayne. Other drop-off locations can be found here.
Also, monetary donations will also be accepted at volunteerfortwayne.org. $25 covers the cost of a new winter coat, hat, scarf and mittens for a child, Volunteer Center executive director Ani Etter says.
Once the coats are collected, they are dry-cleaned, sorted and distributed by volunteers and leaders in the community to area schools and social service agencies across five Northeast Indiana counties.
Any families seeking coats from the Coats For Kids drive should contact case managers or counselors at their schools to start a referral process. Social service agencies in need of coats for children may contact the Volunteer Center at 260.424.3505.