Heading into its ninth year of collecting donated winter outerwear, Coats for Kids, the initiative put together by the North Newmarket Lions Club and Newmarket Lions Club, was in a precarious situation.
After using a free space for the vast majority of its existence, Coats for Kids was forced to re-locate twice and wasn’t sure there would be a location for this year’s drive.
“It was on Facebook that we needed a home, and I got an email from the Quakers meeting house in Newmarket,” said Leah Springford, co-ordinator of Coats for Kids. “They offered us a room to use and some storage.”
With the program set to run from Oct. 7 to Dec. 30 this year, the two Lions clubs are moving into the space.
“We need free space, we just can’t pay rent,” said Springford. “We’re absolutely delighted about this, and they’ve been very accommodating and wonderful.”
Last year, the Coats for Kids program donated just more than 800 coats, said Springford, and that’s not including the boots, hats, snow pants mitts and scarfs. She said there’s a massive need and they always need more donations.
“The best way people can help out in the community is to donate,” she said. “We want any outerwear that’s not too worn. Some wonderful people go out and buy a bag of gloves and donate it to us. It’s really great because gloves are hard to come by with kids going through them really quickly.”
Springford said that Coats for Kids is shaping up well this year and they have coats already, but she’s anticipating a lot being needed for October.
“We’re going to need more coats,” she said. “We’ll need more donations, and we need donations for adult coats. That’s our big need. We want to help as many people as we can.”
Over the last few winters, Springford said that there has been more adults needing to utilize the program.
“New Canadians and refugee families come here with nothing,” she said. “And because it’s called Coats for Kids, we don’t get a lot of adult coats. That’s the need at the moment.”
More coats are always needed, said Springford, and the Lions Club has been lucky with Newmarket and surrounding communities always stepping up each year to help make a difference.
“We’ve had tremendous support,” she said. “We’ve had schools do collections and York Regional Police, hockey teams, and individuals do drives for us. People have been so supportive, and they really seem to enjoy the coat drives.”
Springford has already spoken to someone about a potential coat drive at a local school and she’s hopeful it comes together.
“Maybe there are kids in high school who want to get hours and they could do a coat drive,” she said. “Or even come help us sort the coats.”
This year, there are between 15 and 20 volunteers, predominantly from the two Lions clubs, and the reward is seeing the faces of community members when they find a coat to keep them warm for the winter.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” she said. “Even if you can’t talk to them well because English isn’t their first language, there’s great joy when you see someone find a coat that fits them. We’re really happy, they’re really happy, and everyone is smiling. It’s a really good feeling.”
Springford wants to remind the community that though Coats for Kids may not have what they’re looking for when they come, that they should come back.
“We get donations all the time and we can find what they need,” she said.
Donations can be dropped off at the Quakers Society of Friends Meeting House in Newmarket, 17030 Yonge St., or at the collection box at the Magna Centre, 800 Mulock Dr., between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturdays from Oct. 7 to Dec. 30.
For more information contact the North Newmarket Lions Club via email at [email protected] or phone at 905-895-1441.
