When the Boss Becomes the Hero!

National Bosses Day is Sunday! That makes today perfect for sharing the great news that work place coat drives have put us over the 500-coat-drive milestone for this season! This week, employers like Crutchfield (VA), Jiffy Lube (MT), The Brace Place (NJ) and the Waterbabies Aquatic Program (QA) have registered their coat drives. To caring business owners, managers and decision-makers who provide the advertising, space and resources to collect and deliver coats in their communities, we say, "You're our heroes (Sunday and every day)!" Thank you!

The Momentum is Growing!

We recently received this heartwarming note from Eleanor from the Native American Children's Association. "Just the other day, my sister and I were on the Reservation observing... [an] annual celebration to honor a revered Chief. ...It was crowded with Native families who remembered us from the coat giveaway. ...We are writing to express our gratitude for your hard work. Your efforts are helping a new generation of gifted young people to succeed." As the temperatures dip across the country, we are mindful of the children waiting for school buses in only light sweaters or hoodies. Although the need is great, the momentum for coat drives is growing. Today, over 400 coat drives are registered in our system, and more sign up each day. Soon, thousands of us will be working together to warm communities...one coat, one child, one person in need...at a time.

Honoring OUR 10 Years of Exploration and Discovery!

Move over, Columbus! Today, as we honor the explorer and discoverer in all of us, we celebrate 10 years of discovering new ways to bring awareness to the need for warm coats and make it easy to donate a coat to someone in need. Over the years, countless friends have shared the best parts of themselves - their creativity, skills and dedication to helping others - with us. With you, One Warm Coat has grown from a one-location coat drive in San Francisco to a national network of thousands of drives each year! And in this 10th year, we are on pace to collect and distribute our 3 millionth coat! Thank you all for joining us on this journey. We were recently asked what the next 10 years will hold. Our answer? Infinite possibilities! C'mon along! Who knows what we'll discover together?

At Our Roots...

We're sometimes called a national movement with a "grass roots" base. We rather like that description! At our "roots" are the best community service agencies around, many of which are in small towns. For example, coat drive Organizers in the Princeton, IL area (pop. 7,500) can partner with the Zearing Child Enrichment Center, Inc. (ZCEC) this year to deliver warm coats to their neighbors. ZCEC is a service-oriented nonprofit agency that serves children through 12 years of age. They registered with One Warm Coat with the hope that coat drive Organizers will find them and be able to provide much-needed warm coats for the children they serve. Working together to warm communities... one coat at a time. Guess you could say, "It's in our roots!"

Warm Up With Us and Join the Drive!

"Warm up with us...!" With those words, officer Jessica Mercer of the Prince Georges County District V COPS Unit invited schools and agencies to create a super team to hold an area One Warm Coat drive. So many groups joined the project that Jessica had to contact Larinda for more banner and label packets! She wrote, "I am proud to share that... I am in need of an additional 20 packets as the rest of my participants come aboard. ...They are flying off the shelf!" We're proud of Jessica, too! With her warm invitation and obvious commitment, she's made loads of new friends in her community and is well on her way to making a big difference for those in need.

It's a 3-Peat! Burlington Coat Factory Customers Have Done it Again!

Sherri's off soon on an amazing road trip to deliver brand new warm coats to children across the country! It's a warm and wonderful "3-Peat" by customers checking out at Burlington Coat Factory's stores. They've donated over $135,000 to One Warm Coat for the purchase of new coats for kids! During October, Sherri joins a variety of agency teams to deliver the coats in person. She'll keep us updated on the cities she visits and the stories of the people who work to make a difference there. Thank you, Burlington Coat Factory patrons, for helping us spread the warmth again!

Refresh-ing! Check Out Our New Website!

The One Warm Coat website has a fresh, new look and all the conveniences of a "home" designed to help YOU find what you need! Our architects helped make it even easier to get started with your coat drive, register your agency, find news about our terrific sponsors or read a feature story about a caring supporter. (We even refreshed our Tools and Resources.) Why not stop in for a visit today - and bring a friend!

Behind every statistic...is a caring friend!

In many ways, it seems that statistics drive our work: We research how many people are in need, the number of coat drives in our system, number of coats collected, how many agencies helped distribute them and so forth. Recently, we smiled BIG when we learned that over 1,100 people in 19 countries "like"us on Facebook! And while we can never come face to face with all our friends and supporters, we are warmed by the knowledge that behind every statistic there's a real and caring person working hard - with us - to make warm coats available to those in need.

"Fall" Into Action to Warm Your Community

Celebrate the first day of Autumn with us! Leaves are falling, temperatures will soon drop. For One Warm Coat drive organizers and community service agencies, that means it's time to get busy! Almost 150 Organizers have already registered their coat drive plans. We've recently updated the tools on our website, so now it's even easier to Share Your Plan or Register Your Agency. Whether you're thinking of holding a workplace drive, a youth-led service project, a faith-based event or a coat drive to honor a personal milestone, it's so easy to make a difference for others. We invite you to "fall" into action with us today!

In Gratitude

Today is World Gratitude Day, a day established by the United Nations Meditation Group to encourage people everywhere to express appreciation for the great things that individuals and groups do. Each day, we are grateful for our friends and supporters, who work to make a warm coat available - free of charge - to everyone who needs one. Have we told you lately that we LOVE all you do? (We do!)

Bunker Hill Publishing: Helping Us Help Others

Bunker Hill Publishing is excited about their new book, "Helping Santa: My First Christmas Adventure with Grandma," and so are we! This familiar yet timeless tale perfectly depicts the spirit of caring that inspires generation after generation to help others. Check out their blog to learn more. (We especially appreciate the part that tells about their sharing a portion of the book's sales with One Warm Coat!) Thank you, Bunker Hill Publishing, for helping us get out the message that no one should go without a warm coat this winter.

A Pattern of Giving: Red Heart Yarn & One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat enters the world of knit and crochet crafting this Fall, thanks to Red Heart Yarn! This generous sponsor has created the colorful Heartfelt Super Saver yarn just for us. Crafters everywhere are invited to knit or crochet a Heartfelt scarf and donate it to a local One Warm Coat drive. (Details on Red Heart's website.) A warm coat and a cozy scarf, One Warm Coat and Red Heart Yarn...We see a pattern here, a pattern of giving that will now warm communities...one coat - and one scarf - at a time! Sherri's starting HER scarf this week! Why not join her?

In a "State" of Good (Last Day for the Tom's of Maine Contest)

The Tom's of Maine 50 States for Good competition ended yesterday. Whether we share the top monetary prize or not, we will definitely finish in a "state" of good fellowship and growing support! To all of you who joined us on this contest journey, we send a heartfelt thank you. As we turn our focus to Fall and Winter coat drive activities, we will remember your friendship and look forward to working together to warm communities...one coat at a time.

Your Vote = Warm Coats!

There's one more week of open, daily voting in the Tom's of Maine 50 States for Good competition. (Click our widget to learn more - and vote.) With YOUR help, (and that of your friends & family) One Warm Coat could win part of the $150,000 award! Won't you join us in voting daily through 9/13? (Thank you!)

2 Minutes 2 Warm Thousands: Help Make Our Dream Come True!

In less than 2 minutes a day, YOU and your friends can help One Warm Coat get closer to our dream that everyone who wants a warm coat can get one, free of charge. Tom's of Maine (yes, the toothpaste company!) has chosen us as a finalist in a contest to win a share of $150,000! People of ALL AGES can vote - once each day - now through 9/13.

Your 2-minute task?

• Click 50 States for Good to learn more
• Click the vote "widget" there (or click the following link) to VOTE for One Warm Coat
• Return each day to vote again!
• Accept our heartfelt thanks for your support!

Your votes will help us climb the "leader board" to win a share of the prize that can make our dream come true.  

Won't you join us? And share this post with your email, Facebook and Twitter friends?  (Want a daily vote reminder? Contact us and we'll set you up.)

First Tuesday is KINDING day

I'll be taking a healthy snack to my favorite Girl Scout Leader tomorrow, May 3rd -- we are a big fan of First Book, a non-profit that provides new books for children in need.

One small KIND act from you can make a BIG difference in the lives of those who really need it!
Do the KIND Thing and help to make possible the BIG KIND Act of providing new books to children from low income families across the country.  Visit www.KINDsnacks.com/world/mission to accept the KINDING Mission and get us one step closer to making the BIG KIND Act happen.

Doing Your Agency's Annual Report?

Nancy L. was reporting on her Agency's annual activities. Last winter, many new people asked for warm coats, but the Agency hadn't had enough to meet the need. Checking their  One Warm Coat listing, Nancy noticed that her contact information, needs, operating hours all needed updating! 

This is exactly why we are conducting our " Stay in Touch" email update campaign to all our agency partners in May. Agencies in our database will receive a personalized email from OWC with a direct link to update and edit  their contact information. 


Now, as she shifts to summer activities, she can "close the books" on winter & One Warm Coat. We, too, are turning our focus to warm weather projects. , be sure to open Doug Selee's emails and update YOUR Agency's information! And please meet us HERE again in August for another year of warming communities... one coat at a time!

It's National VOLUNTEER Month! Sending our love!

BIG hugs & warm congratulations to our FABULOUS volunteers! Over 2,500 Organizers led coat drives during 2010 and collected over 750,000 coats! We try to tally the number of coats collected each year - but we absolutely lose count of all the deeply committed people who volunteer for coat drives across the country. We know 1 thing for sure: An amazing, caring volunteer touched every coat that was donated, counted, bagged, delivered & distributed! (If YOUR volunteers haven't yet received Thank You certificates, why not go to One Warm Coat, Share Your Success & request them now?) During April & all year 'round, we are deeply thankful for our incredible dedicated network of volunteers. You make all our work possible.

Go "Green" With Us This Earth Day!

It's Earth Day! What began in 1970 as a grass roots environmental movement has grown into an international way of life - and you can join the effort today without even leaving the house! One easy way to catch the spirit of the day is to open the closet door, take out the warm coat that no one is using and find a place to donate it. Call it "conservation" or "going green." In honor of reducing, reusing and recycling this Earth Day, we at One Warm Coat ask "What's in YOUR closet?"

A Place to Tell YOUR One Warm Coat Story!

We love reading notes & comments from our volunteer organizers & agencies! Here's another place where you can share YOUR experiences and help others discover One Warm Coat.  GreatNonProfits is a site where experienced volunteers help other people learn about trustworthy nonprofits that are making a difference. During April, they're encouraging people to post reviews and ratings regarding Children & Family nonprofit activities. Did your family, school, scout troop or youth group donate coats or hold a coat drive? Then, YOU are a perfect reviewer! Just click HERE to start & then click Write a Review. (Thank you for helping us tell others how easy it is to make a difference. Can't wait to read your posts!)

Stay in Touch!

Announcing a One Warm Coat special summertime project! New COO (Chief Operating Officer) Doug Selee & his team are putting the final touches on their "Stay in Touch" plan to reach out to ALL our Agency friends this summer. Through fun, informative group activities like special calls and webinars, they hope to "meet" you and learn how we can serve you better! Watch your inbox for messages from Doug  - and then Stay in Touch with us!

Think We're Great? Let Others Know!

You're invited to help us spread the word about One Warm Coat through GreatNonProfits. Think of them as a "rating service" for the non-profit world -- like Zagats or your favorite movie critic. Here's a chance for YOU to tell folks why you like One Warm Coat! Just click HERE to read our most recent reviews and write one of your own! Thanks, GreatNonProfits, for this unique opportunity to share our story across the digital world!

Schools That ROCK!

"Each principal wanted to know if we would do this again next year!" writes Cathy J. of Garden Grove, CA. Cathy's Girl Scout Troop 1224 took their Bronze Award project to SIX individual area schools this year. They worked with school administrators in each location to build the local network necessary to support their coat drive on a grand scale. Together, Patton Elementary, St. Paul's Lutheran, Garden Park Elementary, Barker Elementary, Enders Elementary and Ralston Intermediate schools "rocked" the coat drive process so well that they reached their collection goal and more! Thanks, Cathy, for sharing this story of the kids' success. Garden Grove's motto is "The City of Youth and Ambition!" Now we know WHY!

One Warm Coat Welcomes Doug Selee, new Chief Operating Officer!

Doug Selee

Doug Selee has joined One Warm Coat as our new COO (Chief Operating Officer)! Doug, a former VP of Operations for the American Cancer Society, brings a fantastic breadth of knowledge and deep experience to this newly-created role. He has already begun working with me and the Board, to learn how the “home team” supports our volunteers and sponsors and to share his considerable expertise. WE’VE learned that Doug has an easy smile, boundless energy and a deep commitment to our shared cause. Follow our blog and check out our newsletter to “meet” Doug and learn more about ways we can work together toward our goal of 1 million coats next season!

Best Time to Get Creative!

Last week, warnings of still more heavy rains or “a foot of snow” were common from CA to MA. Here’s an idea to make use of the frustration we all feel when winter just won’t quit. The moment after you’ve finished yet another snow person or stepped over that deep puddle next to your car – when you’ve come inside and taken off YOUR warm coat – is actually a great time to commit to holding a future event to collect coats for others. Why not check out One Warm Coat's website for ideas? Some extra-creative organizers have held warm weather drives as part of a child's birthday party or special family gathering. We bet you know just the right occasion for your own. (In the meantime, to help us all get through this last bit of winter, enjoy this giant sculpture named for a Senator whose last name is Snow!)

Honoring "Clara Bartons" Everywhere: Red Cross Month

Back in 1881, Americans responded to Clara Barton's call to action with the publicity and the funding necessary to launch the American Red Cross. Over the years, the organization's supporters have rushed to assist others during catastrophes the world over. In 1942, Pres. Franklin Roosevelt became the first to designate March as Red Cross Month. Today, we lead a standing ovation to honor the Red Cross and the millions of "Claras" everywhere who continue to volunteer and provide funds so that others may find safety and comfort in difficult times!

Mt. Olive Recreation Does the Math, Warms Its Community!

When Jill D. of the Mt. Olive Township Recreation center (NJ) shared the results of their recent coat drive, it was clear that they are whizzes at math! Jill explained the equation behind their fantastic success: You start with volunteer staff and PTAs from 6 area schools; add local religious and sports booster groups and subtotal. Divide volunteers across 15 locations, including Senior Center, library and 3 PNC bank branches. Then multiple your "reach" with a benefit event! The product? Exponential warmth for those in need! Congratulations - and thanks for making the math so easy!

Holding Our International Neighbors In Our Thoughts

Today, news reports from Japan remind us that harsh conditions can impact us all without notice. As I watch the news, I am taken with the dignity, discipline and spirit of sharing among the Japanese people. It is a spirit we discovered last fall, when the dedicated employees of Delta Airlines Naruta office held our first Japanese coat drive.

Now, many international aid agencies - in the U.S. and elsewhere - have sprung into action to deliver critical supplies to those in need. The American Red Cross is equipped to handle donations from the United States to support relief activities in Japan.

Once again, we are reminded that the world is, really, one community - and our thoughts are with our neighbors enduring hardship across the globe.

Albert's Story Featured on Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog!

The "small world" of Albert's Story continues to grow! This month, our tale of the need for warm coats and the people who solved the problem was featured in Kivi's Nonprofit Communications Blog! It was just a few years ago that we first met and worked with Kivi Leroux Miller to learn new ways to inform others of the need for warm coats. Now, our little story joins others as an example of how a simple tale can make people aware of ways they can help people in need in their own neighborhoods and across the globe. Thank you, Kivi, for the work you do to teach nonprofit organizations the skills they need to fulfill their missions! We continue to use what we've learned every day!

Girl Scouts: Helping Others and Inspiring US!

Girl Scout Day is Saturday! As a Life Member of Girl Scouts, I am very proud of the support that One Warm Coat enjoys with the thousands of girls and their leaders and families across the U.S. who work to "help people at all times." Today, I recall talking with the Girl Guide whom I met last fall. We talked in awe of the time she met with Lady Baden Powell many years ago. 

This amazing woman attended the coat drive with her Girl Scout granddaughter -- it was their way of carrying on the joyful community-centered work that has made a difference for hundreds of thousands of people for almost a hundred years! Smile with us this Saturday (March 12th) as we honor the compassion and commitment of Girl Scouts everywhere!

Clearing the Path to Warmth

As we dream of Spring, reports of significant snowfalls and extreme temperatures from CA to CT tell us that the work we do together at One Warm Coat remains important. Hundreds of coat drives are still “open for business,” clearing the way to health and comfort for neighbors in communities from coast to coast. Got a coat to donate? Click here and find a drive in your area.

We Have a "Sixth Sense" About Their Coat Drive Success!

Karen M. and the owners and staff of the Alpine Shop in MO have an innate "sense" of how to succeed with a coat drive! These AMAZING organizers just completed their SIXTH incredible coat drive! When asked for their secrets, Karen told us about generous coupons given to all donors and special prize drawings - and she credited the retailer's great staff and awesome customers. She also said, "We explained how important this project was. We used our Facebook page and our website to [tell] about the organizations who received the coats." One day they had so many coats, their staff created a line from inside their building all the way outside to pass the bags out to waiting vehicles! The Alpine Shop's coat drives will continue to make winter easier to bear for communities in the St. Louis and Columbia areas for many years to come - we just have a feeling about that!

Now That's Connectivity!

Isaiah G. Cooper of KMFP (a food pantry) in NJ, recently emailed appreciation for their connection to the Hazlet Business Owners Association and other organizers this winter. He added “because of the coats …from you and other coat drives, we were able to provide warmth for those that are less fortunate.” Thanks for sharing, Isaiah. We LOVE being part of the connection between Organizers and Agencies – the relationship that delivers warm coats to the people who need them the most!   

We'd Like to Thank the Academy...!

We'd like to thank ...TechSoup  and the wonderfully wired (and wireless) people who included Albert's Story in their recent awards for the 2011 Digital Storytelling Challenge. TechSoup was founded in 1987 on the belief that technology is a powerful enabler for social change. We agree! We are so touched by the top prize winner Mountaintop Library Expands Horizons (Room to Read). We think you will be, too! Thank you, TechSoup, for guiding us and other nonprofits across the globe in the creation of deeply meaningful programs that support our causes.

The more we get together... the WARMER they'll be!

We LOVE it when other groups' efforts connect with ours - and when ours connects to even more groups - to make warm coats available to those in need! Meredith C., Editor-In-Chief of the Compassion Fashion Project blog recently shared that the 10/20 Project in AR gave Compassion Fashion coats for their Hope Cottage in Searcy. "We feel so lucky," said Meredith, "to share in [this] wonderful coat drive." She added a "big thank you to Burlington Coat Factory and Old Navy of Arkansas for their participation." By our math, that's FIVE degrees of connection, working together to meet the need for warm coats! Fantastic!

Spotlight: Over-Achievers in New York!

Nancy C., the coat drive organizer for the Syska Hennessey Group in NY, happily shared that her firm's coat drive collected 3 times as many coats as originally hoped! Because they collected so many items for children, women and men, their drive benefited two agencies in their area! Nancy shared that it "was a wonderful experience." We agree, Nancy! It IS wonderful to witness generosity that exceeds our dreams -- like the results of your coat drive! Just seeing the boxes and boxes - and boxes - of your coats brought a HUGE smile!