Coats For Kids drop-off (file photo)
Despite the warm summer weather, the United Way of Lunenburg County is already thinking about the cold winter.
The organization is launching their annual Coats for Kids campaign today.
Coordinator Michael Graves says people can drop off their gently used winter coats at the centre court of the South Shore Centre until the end of September.
People looking for a coat can make their selection in October.
“And we put them into a private, unused storefront inside the South Shore Centre (Bridgewater Mall). Then folks there can go in there and discretely take whatever they want.”
Graves says they have to start collecting coats early because the need is so great.
“[The] poverty rate in Lunenburg County is about 19 percent. There’s about 8,600 people living in poverty in Lunenburg County. In fact, there’s more people living in poverty than there are residents in the town of Bridgewater.”
Graves says the United Way, working with the Salvation Army provided winter coats to 850 people last year.
The program proved so successful they are expanding this year to accept donations of mittens and boots as well.
Reported by: Ed Halverson
Twitter: @edwardhalverson
E-mail: halverson.ed@radioabl.ca
