A local initiative that has sought for numerous years to provide warmth for people who lack adequate winter jackets has returned.
However, the Coats for the Cold program is now in a new location. Being situated along Main Avenue in front of Neighbours Helping Neighbours and Heart ‘n Hand — which deliver the program — remains fairly central as well as easy to find, according to organizers.
It also makes maintaining, restocking and looking after the racks easier, said Shelley Kohut, a local realtor who originally launched the endeavour as part of a community engagement challenge issued by her church, the McDougal Chapel.
“It really surprised me how much of a need it met,” she said, adding the two racks of women’s, men’s and children’s jackets were set up late in November.
“We go through 150 to 200 coats every winter,” she said.
“As long as that need is there and we have the facility to handle it, we’ll continue to do it.”
The coats are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, she said.
“So people can come day or night.”
Contributing to this year’s effort was the Sundre ARP Community Drug Mart, which made available some warm tuques, as well as Pastor Kent Janz from McDougal Chapel, who coordinated with the Gideons to provide Bibles to place in each coat’s pocket. Additionally, an invitation to the Plus-1 Emergency Food Cupboard at the chapel is inserted into every jacket, she said.
Although the new location does not seem to be getting quite as much traffic and fewer coats have been picked up so far this year, Kohut said some jackets have been going and that all of the men’s coats were gone the first day.
“We need men’s coats,” she said, adding women’s coats are also welcome but that children’s jackets don’t generally seem to go as quickly.
Additionally, organizers remind anyone who is interested in making a donation to ensure the jacket is clean, in good condition, and of course, warm. Lighter jackets such as fall windbreakers could alternatively be taken to the Sundre Thrift Store near the legion, she said, adding tuques and mittens or gloves are also accepted.
“They can just bring them right in to Heart ‘n Hand Creation and Gifts.”
Donations can be dropped off during regular office hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Tuesday to Saturday. For more information about Heart ‘n Hand and Neighbours Helping Neighbours, visit the organizations’ social media pages.
Although Kohut intends to continue the program for as long as possible, the Heart ‘n Hand storefront that helps make it possible is in need of support, she said.
“We’re going to hang in there another year and see what happens.”
