Coats for Kids-Cleveland

Coats for kids provided new and like-new winter Coats to children of school age in northeast Ohio. New Coats are purchased with funds raised through a variety of events along with donations from businesses, foundations and individuals. Donated Coats are collected through an annual coat drop off compaign involving many area businesses and individuals. New Coats are distributed through a formal program involving public school districts with the highest percentages of children living below federal poverty level within Coats for kids' 5 county service area. A combination of new and like-new Coats were distributed to additional schools, churches and other community organizations. On average (for the past several years) Coats for kids has distributed more than 22,000 Coats each winter.

In 2017, Coats for kids started a new program in which local companies who donate between 10,000-15,000 can sponsor a full-school coat distribution event ( donation varies based on school enrollment). Schools selected for this program have high percentages (between 90-100%) of children living below the federal poverty level as every child in the school is provided with a new winter coat. Since first sponsored full-school event in 2017, Coats for kids connected 12 of these full-school events thanks to generous corporate sponsors.