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!