Salvation Army Holds Distribution Days for ‘Coats for Kids’ Program
Photo by Shelley Hanson Trending
The Salvation Army's last Coats for Kids distribution date for Ohio County will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Wheeling Corps building on 3333 Eoff St.
Not only will coats be handed out at the site, as volunteers will be present to sign up families for the Angel Tree program as well as handing out gift cards to Riesbeck's for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Donations for both the Coats for Kids and the Angel Tree program were collected from the community, with the Salvation Army continuing to accept gently used coats at their Community Thrift Store throughout the holiday season.Monetary donations are also accepted for the programs.
The Commanding Officer for the Salvation Army Center in Wheeling, Lieutenant John Lawrence, explained that if donations are designated for the Coats for Kids program, they will be set aside to purchase coats. Any other donations will go toward the program's needs throughout the winter season.
"Our focus is trying to get new coats for kids as this time of the year heading into October, we start to feel a little from Jack Frost, temperatures start to drop," said Lawrence. "Any contributions right now would be greatly appreciated."
Other drop-off days in other counties are still available. They include Saturday from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. at the Sistersville Volunteer Fire Department and Oct. 12, 19 and 26 from 9 a.m. to noon at 700 Jefferson Ave. in Moundsville.
So far, more than 400 coats have been distributed to children up to 16 years of age by the Salvation Army, supplied by both donations of used coats and money.
Lawrence added that they also have an order of fleece-lined hoodies coming in next week to hand out to older teens because they "tend to shy away from the regular coats."
The Angel Tree program will also supply families in need throughout the holidays, with donors that sign up for the program adopting "an angel" to provide new clothes and toys.
"When we distribute items for the Angel Tree, we also give the family food cards so they can go and purchase food for their Christmas holiday," added Lawrence. "We automatically put them on our Thanksgiving food cards as well."
By signing up for the Angel Tree, Lawrence explained families are able to take care of "all their needs for the holidays." He emphasized that a particularly pressing need during the holiday season is food, as the rise in food prices has greatly impacted family spending for those in need.
With donations from the community, the Salvation Army hopes to continue to provide not only warmth through coats but sustenance to those in need during the holiday season. As the Salvation Army is currently seeing "an increased need in food overall," Lawrence emphasized donating to not only the coat drive but to the Wheeling and Moundsville food pantries as well.
"Our pantries have seen an uptick in people coming in, and the need is only going to grow because other things are going to start increasing," said Lawrence. "Families' utilities are going up, and so now they have to make a decision, "Am I going to pay my gas bill or roll it over to the next month so that we have food for our family?"
We want to make sure that that's something they don't have to decide on and that they know they have a place to get food and clothes."