Coats for Kids can help ease family expenses
Thanks to many kind-hearted individuals and organizations, South Shore children, youths and adults will be able to access — free of charge — new and gently used winter coats, toques, mittens, boots and scarves.
Organized by the United Way of Lunenburg County in partnership with The Salvation Army, the annual Coats for Kids campaign is up and running in a donated spacious storefront across from the Kids Fun Factory at the South Shore Centre. The storefront will remain open during mall hours until at least the end of the year.
During a recent conversation, United Way Co-ordinator Michael Graves lamented that the cost of food, fuel, home heating, accommodation and other household expenses has increased significantly over the past few years, imposing severe financial hardships on families and individuals struggling on fixed incomes.
Graves said nearly 8,000 people in Lunenburg County are living in or on the edge of poverty, and 3,000 of those are seniors. Sadly, the 1,155 children who live in poverty would fill 20 full-size school buses.
“If we can save a mom, say, $400 on winter wear, she will be able to use that money on something else that will benefit her family,” said Graves.
“Moms have to make some tough spending choices, but they don’t have to make buying winter wear one of those choices. Coats for Kids will take care of providing warm outerwear for the entire family,” he said.
People can visit the storefront and try on the coats and other clothing items that are displayed on coat racks by age and gender. There is no limit on the number of items a family can take, but they are encouraged to take only what they need. Everything in the storefront has been donated by individuals or groups.
Ten of the donors are members of the St. James Knitters from St. James Anglican Church in Mahone Bay. I met Barbara Miller, one of the talented knitters, while meeting with Graves at the Coats for Kids location.
Miller told me her group has been knitting for 10 years and in the past has knitted clothing for Bridgewater cancer patients and for babies at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. This year the knitters donated to Coats for Kids a large number of toques, mittens, socks and scarves in a variety of sizes and colours.
“Our Anglican Church
Women also donated a nice sum of money to purchase an assortment of new winter coats. Two of our members also donated boots. Coats for Kids is such an important initiative,” said Miller.
Graves said his group is partnering with the Verge House Transition Program, a community-based educational program offered by the South Shore Regional Centre for Education. The students are volunteering at Coats for Kids, sorting the clothing and merchandising the space as if it were a shop.
Verge House learning support teacher Amanda Deagle told me the Bridgewater school delivers an individualized instructional program to students with exceptionalities, aged 1821. All eight students enrolled this year are high school graduates.
Verge House provides its
students with a skills-training program that can improve quality of life, optimize independence, promote community integration and empower them to become productive citizens.
“The program’s curriculum promotes the holistic development of each student. Our courses help students to live, work and recreate independently in their communities,” said Deagle.
“Coats for Kids is an opportunity as a co-op space where our students can simulate going to work and using their transferable work skills they have been building during the year at Verge House,” she said.
Deagle said each student has his or her own level of independence.
“They set their own goals and we help them work toward achieving those goals,” she said.
Deagle said Verge House is actively seeking work placements with local businesses and organizations.
“We place students in work environments that are tied to their strengths, goals and interests. We try to tailor each work experience so they are enjoyable and rewarding for our students. If they are happy, they will learn more effectively and efficiently,” she said.
Examples of companies participating in the workplacement program include HP Studios Sports Centre, Eclipse women’s clothing, Sam’s No Frills, Chester Independent Grocer and Margaret Hennigar Library.
Deagle said her students volunteering at the Coats for Kids facility highlights all the amazing things they are capable of doing, and they are developing a new sense of confidence engaging with the public.
Here’s What I’m Thinking: Companies and organizations looking to hire staff should consider the incredible Verge House students. Call 902-5413040 for details.
Coats for Kids sponsors include South Shore Centre, CKBW, Country 100.7, Scotiabank, Fresh Cuts, and the Lions Club.