Coats For Kids Donations Sought

Silica For Your Home in Fond du Lac is one of 46 drop off sites  for the Coats for Kids drive.  Pictured are Luke Schneider, Joshua Schneider, Kathy Halfman and Melissa Kohnke from Silica, encouraging donations! 

Winter brings cold weather, and with it comes a reason for Fond du Lac’s warm-hearted to donate winter wear – new and gently worn – to The Salvation Army.  The Salvation Army in turn, coordinates a giveaway that helps insulate struggling families from the winter’s icy blast.  This year, 46 community partners are actively seeking coats to fill collection boxes they host through October 31.  Two local cleaners, Model and Georgetown, voluntarily clean the winter coats.  “Watching someone come in during distribution shivering,  pick out a coat, then walk outside wearing it because it’s  clean, in good repair and ready to wear is tremendous,” Fond du Lac Salvation Army Captain Telinda Wilson shares.  “The drycleaners have made this possible for decades and we can’t say thank you enough.”

In 2015, 2400 pieces of clothing were collected, cleaned  and shared.  This year’s big push is winter wear in good repair– winter coats, hats, mittens and snow pants especially in young children’s sizes.  “The biggest needs are young children’s winter gear because kids wear out and outgrow things fast, and adult sized coats that fit teenagers,” Salvation Army Social Services Director Ron Jacobson says. Emptying the pockets, checking the seams and making sure the buttons, zipper and snaps are in working order will prevent disappointment during distribution.

Captain Wilson and Jacobson team with Salvation Army Advisory Board member Steve Zeigler, his wife and Friend of the Army Shin Ae and Salvation Army Caseworker Amber Bose to coordinate this year’s coat sign ups, collection and distribution.  “Our wish is to work with community and coordinate a coat collection large enough so every person who comes to us in need of a winter coat leaves wearing one,”   Captain Telinda finishes. 

Sign Up For Coats And Thanksgiving And Christmas Assistance:

Sign up to receive coats, Thanksgiving and Christmas help October 22 from 8 to 4:30 pm and Oct. 24 from 3-7 pm at The Salvation Army, 237 N. Macy St.  Kids Coat Distribution is Nov 5.  Adult Coat Distribution is Nov. 12. Volunteer to help at www.MyVolunteerpage.com, search Fond du Lac. Call 923-8220 for more.

Coats For Kids Drop Off Locations:

 Ascension Lutheran, FDL Public Library & Express, Wink Chiropractic, Culver’s (Pioneer,  E. Johnson St.), Fesitval Foods, Pick N Save (Pioneer), Children’s Museum, Memorial Baptist Church, Salem United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Papa Murphy’s, Sunny 97.7,  Dental Associates, Salvation Army Thrift Store, Pilgrim Church, Spillman Library (NFDL), Lakeland Care District, LaClaire Farms (Malone), Silica, Fox Valley Savings Bank, Society Insurance, International Paper, Interior Systems, Shopko, Rehab Aisces, Alliant Energy, FDL Airport, FDL Convention Center, Walgreens (Johnson St .,  W. Pioneer Rd), Shoe Sensation, Burger King, US Bank (NFDL, Main ST, 3rd St FDL), Hometown Bank (Sheboygan , Peters Ave)

Coats for Kids is a trademark of Cumulus Media.