NGO ‘One Warm Coat’ raises record funds through partnership with Burlington Coat Factory

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) San Francisco, CA - August 16, 2010 - Nearly one million people in need will get warm coats this winter thanks to the organization One Warm Coat (OWC), which has come one step closer to fulfilling its mission of providing a warm coat to anybody who needs one.

A national recession and a record-breaking heat wave this past July didn’t stop over 100,000 customers at the Burlington Coat Factory (BCF) from donating $130,916.23 to help purchase new coats for kids. This was the first time customers were given the option of donating money in addition to coats.

“We never expected so many customers to open their wallets and their hearts to donate during the hottest July on record,” says Wendy Siskind, Vice President of Marketing for the Burlington Coat Factory. “As the retail coat authority, it warms our hearts to help keep those in need warm in winter months.”

OWC’s fourth annual “Warm Coats and Warm Hearts” campaign will run this November to January. All of the money raised will go directly towards the purchase of new coats by OWC.

“The money raised so far will purchase at least 20,000 kids coats, not including the more than 8,000 new coats that will be donated,” says Sherri Lewis Wood, founder and President of One Warm Coat. “We will identify agencies this fall who will take the coats and distribute them to the community. With the funds to be donated during the campaign, and all of our other coat drives, we might collect over 800,000 coats this year.”

This is not the first time the Burlington Coat Factory has partnered with One Warm Coat. Since 2007, the mega-retail coat store has joined forces with NGO as the collection site for coat drives.

 “With over 400 stores in 44 states, the support of Burlington Coat Factory has been invaluable to the success of this coat drive,” says Wood. “This year, in addition to donating coats, customers can donate funds toward the direct purchase of them. Their small donation is combined with others to make a bigger impact.”

Since 1992, OWC has been providing the tools and resources to help volunteers  collect and distribute clean, reusable coats to individuals all over the country. Recently, the organization has been catching the attention of United States Presidents,  large corporations and nationally syndicated television shows. What started as a Thanksgiving weekend coat drive in San Francisco has grown into a national movement led by OWC and supported by numerous people in communities all over the country, including those who donate their coats, those who organize coat drives in their communities, and the volunteers and staff at social service agencies who distribute the coats.

It’s never too late to get involved. “It is important to note that monetary donations are not necessary,” says Wood. “Anybody can get involved with One Warm Coat without a financial commitment.”

Anybody can donate a coat or money to the organization. Companies that want to organize their own coat drive can go to onewarmcoat.org to learn more.
   
About One Warm Coat

One Warm Coat is an independent nongovernmental organization that provides tools and resources to help volunteers in the collection of clean, reusable coats for donation to individuals. Our dream is that One Warm Coat becomes a part of the American lifestyle. When a coat is no longer needed, people will think of One Warm Coat. They will make their donation knowing that children, women and men in need will receive a gift of a warm coat. Please visit onewarmcoat.org for more information.

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