Coats for Kids serves nearly 7K in Twin Cities metro
There is no doubt, a Minnesota winter is nothing to take lightly.
“Ooh, it gets so cold, a warm coat is definitely a necessity” said Kimberly Music. She and Daniel Grant (both pictured, left) went to the E. Lake St. Salvation Army in Minneapolis to find coats for their three children, during the 31st annual Coats for Kids giveaway on Thursday.
This year, The Salvation Army served 2,309 families in the metro area, giving away 6,872 coats in addition to 8656 extras–things like hats, mittens, scarves, snow pants and boots.
“This is a wonderful collaboration with the community,” said Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson, leader of The Salvation Army Northern Division. “Working together, we are able to offer the only public distribution of winter coats to children 17 and under in the metro area.”
Thanks in part to a generous $30,000 donation from Alerus Mortgage, The Salvation Army was able to purchase 5,600 new coats to give away. Another 2,765 new and gently used coats were donated at local Cub Foods stores and Kowalski’s Markets.
“We couldn’t get by this winter, without the help from the community and The Salvation Army,” Grant said.
With two boys, ages 7 and 8, and an 11 year old daughter, this family has their hands full. That’s where programs like Coats for Kids can make all the difference.
“We don’t necessarily live paycheck to paycheck, but we don’t have a big savings, so things like coats can be a big hit in the budget,” Music explained. “When I can donate, I do, but when I need to, I ask for help.”
Join The Salvation Army by volunteering, or making a donation to support your local community.