Coats for Kids campaign heats up

BY NADINE ARMSTRONG

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

It’s time to pull the winter gear out of the closet and give it the once-over. But before discarding last year’s cast-offs, why not pass them on and make a difference?

RBC in Windsor wants to do its part to keep kids warm and dry this winter. For the second year, the Windsor bank and select branches throughout the Valley are accepting donations of winter outerwear to distribute to families through Windsor and West Hants.

Organizer Carol Dee said, based on last year’s success, they decided to host Coats for Kids again this season. “We heard so many stories last year about kids in need not only getting their own winter coats, but one for a brother and sister, too,” she said.

The coats are collected at the 111 Water St. location and then sent to various schools as requests are made. “We’re just the collection base,” Dee said. “It’s the schools that know best where the needs are.”

For the whole family

Branch manager Jennifer Fisher said it’s not only for the kids. Schools will send out notices soon to let parents know the coats are available, but they hope to help any member of a student’s family. “It’s for the kids mainly, but we want to make sure the whole family is kept warm,” she said.

Dee said it’s a wonderful program that benefits everyone. “We all have old coats and boots we don’t know what to do with. This is the best place to send them so they will be put to good use.”

The deadline for donations is at the end of this month, however, Fisher said that they will continue to collect as long as the need is there. “We can hold on to items until next year. As long as they are dropped off, we’ll take them.”

The RBC asks that coats, boots, mitts and hats be ‘gently’ used and wearable, with no broken zippers or hooks.