GIVE A KID A COAT!Blog
School Sends “Collective Valentine” to Kids in Need
March 15, 2013
We love hearing from schools who have adopted Operation Warm as a fundraising project. In February, we received a check for over $900 from the Student Council of Sarah Gibbons Middle School in Westborough, Massachusetts, which they raised in only two weeks! The students took a vote to choose a charity for their winter fundraiser, and Operation Warm resonated with them the most, especially with their cold New England winters. They promoted their campaign through insightful morning announcements, with facts about that day's weather and how long it would take to get frostbite without a coat! They also made it a Valentine’s Day tie-in, and showed everyone the totals each day with a meter in the lobby. Teacher and Council Advisor Heather Patrick encouraged a fun competition amongst homerooms, by matching every dollar brought in by her homeroom students. The students tell us they were very happy to help out, and feel satisfied and proud of their results. We are thrilled and thankful for their outstanding effort. Thank you Gibbons Middle School for your generosity, and keeping children warm this winter!
Workplace Campaigns are Fun, Easy, and Warm-Hearted
March 11, 2013
Corporations and small businesses are some of Operation Warm’s biggest supporters. This past holiday season, companies large and small helped put new winter coats on children in need with workplace fundraising campaigns. In doing so, these compassionate people embraced the true spirit of giving while helping Operation Warm expand our reach! Learn about a few stories of offices that came together to give back:
New Coats for Natural Disaster Victims
March 11, 2013
Operation Warm takes a keen interest on the health and well-being of communities across the country. Due solely to the generosity and agility of our donor community, Operation Warm was able to assist victims of devastating acts of nature during 2012. We thank our supporters for their willingness to help so many children whose lives were suddenly upside down due to both hurricane and wildfire events.
There’s still time to make kids’ winter wishes come true!
February 08, 2013
Winter is far from over, whether we believe in Groundhog Day, or not. For too many children in this country, the cold is an unpleasant reminder of all they don’t have. This is especially true on a day like today, when so many in the Northeast will experience an epic blizzard!
Thanks to our thousands of supporters, we send brand new coats to disadvantaged children in 40 states, and we are asking you to help today. We know how hard it is to imagine a winter of cold and despair, yet for 16.5 million children in this country, it’s a reality that prevents them from attending school and playing outside with friends.
Won’t you please consider a $20.00 gift to Operation Warm? It will mean warmth, hope, and love to another child who is struggling to survive this winter.
Thank you from all of us at Operation Warm and from the children who receive a new winter coat thanks to your generosity. Please click here to donate $20.00 now.
A heart warming story from Chicago
January 05, 2013
One of the rewarding aspects of our work are all the wonderful, and sometimes heat-wrenching stories we hear about the children and their families who receive our coats. We got an email today from one of our business partners:
I have to share a story with you regarding an Operation Warm coat given to a child here in Chicago.
My friend is a therapist at Association House of Chicago. He was able to obtain a coat through Operation Warm in December for one of his child participants. This boy and his mother have absolutely nothing. This boy has never had anything new before and now that he has this brand new coat, the funny thing is, he doesn't want to wear it. He does not want to get it dirty or ripped.
Just shows how easy it is to take things for granted in life. And my friend said it is the greatest joy to have seen the faces of this boy and his mother when he received the coat.
Keep up the good work!
We wish all of our donors could experience the joy of seeing the bright faces of the children who receive the gift of warmth thanks to their generosity.
Honey Dew Donuts & Firefighters Team Up for Kids
November 19, 2012
IAFF firefighter Local 841 teamed up with New Bedford Honey Dew donut locations to raise money and awareness for the Coats for Kids Foundation by Operation Warm on Saturday, November 17th.
“Working with the Coats for Kids Foundation has honestly been the easiest fundraiser we’ve ever done. They provided everything we need and more!” said Honey Dew franchise owner, Kathy Leaver. “We’ve done several fundraisers in partnership with the local firefighters, so when I found out that the Coats for kids Foundation had a relationship with the IAFF, I immediately reached out to see if the New Bedford firefighters would be interested in working together on this.”
Local 841 jumped right in. The New Bedford and North Dartmouth Honey Dew locations are collecting donations for the Coats for Kids Foundation throughout the month of November, but firefighters came out to promote the event and even serve some coffee to customers during a special event on November 17th. Over $1,000 was collected Saturday.
“It means so much when groups come together in a community and help support what we do,” said Paul Daigle, Director of Development Initiatives at Operation Warm. “More children will be kept warm this year because of their efforts”.
An Easy Way to Help Give the Gift of Warmth to the Coldest Spot in the Nation
September 11, 2012
Operation Warm, with our partner Aid for Kids, has the chance to win $50,000 in Tom's of Maine's 50 States for Good cause marketing contest! Your vote can help us send new winter coats to more than 2,000 children in need in "The Coldest Spot in the Nation."
50 States for Good seeks to uncover local nonprofit groups that address urgent community needs and engage volunteers to get the work done. Operation Warm, together with Aid for Kids, has been named the finalist in the state of Maine.
31% child poverty... 97 inches of snow a year... over 10% unemployment... That is what life is like for children in rural Maine. Last winter, Aid for Kids, a grass-roots, all-volunteer agency, called Operation Warm, desperate to find coats for the children they serve. Just days before Christmas, we sent them 1,500 coats, which were transported and distributed by 200 motivated, eager community members to Maine schools and agencies. The grateful recipients said, "Thanks to you, we had warm kids this winter," and, "The jackets flew out the door; the need was so great!"
With your help, we can send even more coats to these children in the place they call "The Coldest Spot in the Nation." Help us win the $50,000 first prize, or one of five $20,000 second prizes, by casting your vote from today through October 9, 2012: www.facebook.com/TomsofMaine
One Boy, Taking One Million Steps, Raising One Dollar for Each Step & Bringing Warmth to Children
August 31, 2012
Nikolas Toocheck ran his first 5k when he was only five years old, mostly on the shoulders of his dad. At age six, he ran his first race solely on his own two feet and hasn’t stopped running since! Now at age nine, he has completed over 80 racing events with distances spanning from 1 mile to a half marathon (13.1 miles). His goal is to complete a marathon on each of the seven continents - and he may very well be the youngest runner to accomplish this!
Nikolas has launched his very own philanthropic campaign called “Running the World for Children.” This campaign will raise money for Operation Warm to provide new winter coats to children in need. Learn more about Nikolas’ story and support his efforts by sponsoring some of his steps by clicking here.
Follow Nikolas’ progress on Facebook.
Coats Going to Colorado Wildfire Victims
August 10, 2012
We're so excited. This year's first shipment of new winter coats is now in route to 270 children in need, heading to Colorado for back-to-school provisions for children whose families lost their homes in the wildfires. We received this email of thanks, but the real thanks go to all our supporters who contributed to our emergency fund. Thank You!
Thank YOU and your team SO MUCH! It is because of wonderful people and organizations like you folks that people impacted by disaster are able to move forward with their lives. Speaking for all the families that your gift is helping, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Blessings to you!
Donna W., Communications Coordinator
ACS Community LIFT
5045 West First Avenue
Denver, CO 80219
We're looking forward to another year of giving the gift of warmth to hundreds of thousands of children in need. Thank you to all who support our work and to the wonderful team at ACS Community LIFT in Denver for all they do in their community.
It’s a Wonderful Day!
August 03, 2012
Thank You! New winter coats are on their way to Colorado for children displaced by the wildfires.
It's a wonderful day, and we have YOU to thank! In partnership with many generous hearts, Operation Warm exceeded our goal to raise enough money to ship 250 coats to children affected by the Colorado wildfires!
We were blown away by your answers to our call for help. Support came from 25 states all across the country; we couldn't be more grateful! More than 250 coats will be on their way to Colorado next week, just in time for the National Donations Management Network to prepare back-to-school provisions.
People helping people in their time of need - that's what Operation Warm is about, and you came together to do just that.
It's a beautiful thing! Please know that you have made a real impact that will leave a lasting impression on the children of Colorado.
With gratitude,
The Operation Warm Team