GIVE A KID A COAT!
OUR GREEN INITIATIVESAbout Us
In December 1998, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dick Sanford read a story in a local Chester County, PA paper that both angered and inspired him. The article talked about, "a bunch of children who were freezing at the bus stop because they did not have winter coats."
Using his own money, Sanford went to a local department store, purchased all its children's coats and then distributed 58 coats to a local social service organization with assistance from his Rotary Club.
One man's gift to a few children has grown into an organization dedicated to warming hundreds of thousands of children. Since Mr. Sanford's personal gesture of kindness in 1998, Operation Warm has distributed more than 500,000 new winter coats to children living in poverty throughout the United States. The new coats are the equivalent of more than $14 million in merchandise. Also, Operation Warm engages in other philanthropic endeavors including making contributions to other charitable organizations in the areas we serve and which Operation Warm has determined provide a meaningful benefit, supporting the charitable giving program. Today Operation Warm is headquartered in Chadds Ford, PA where the staff embraces the mission and vision to change the lives of children. In 2002 Operation Warm became a 501(c)(3).
The new winter coats are distributed to children in major geographic regions including the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware, with concentrated urban efforts in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Seattle. Operation Warm identifies, selects and distributes through strategic community partners that are high impact, leadership organizations working with their city’s neediest populations to address issues including quality education, access to healthcare, after-school support, and family sustainability.
In these tough economic times words cannot express the impact that Operation Warm had on the families of our programs. Seeing the appreciation on the faces of parents and children shows the need for these services. We are glad to have been a part of this wonderful experience and hope that with Operation Warm we are able to keep our families warm for years to come.
~ Marcelo Juica
Latino After-School Initiative's
Executive Director
