January 15, 2008   will be a day long remembered by the Coats for Kids Foundation.  It marks the date when we dleivered the 10,000th new winter coat to a needy child, and it was done by our shipping partner, Purolator USA!

The dleivery was to Manpower, Inc., Asheville, NC, an organization that partnered with the Coats for Kids Foundation last fall to raise money and collect new coats for kids in the counties of Buncombe, Henderson and Madison Counties, and Asheville City Schools.

Before this delivery, a total of 3616 new coats were delivered in 2007, slightly less than 2006.  Nonetheless, at year-end, 9964 new coats had been delivered since January 1, 2004.

"We are recognizing this milestone, not for what we have done, but for what literally hundreds of individuals and companies have helped us do these past four years," said Paul Darby, President.

"At a time when there are so many problems, we are proud that we are able to offer hope and encouragement to kids who have never had a new winter coat.," Darby added.  "It is very important for us to recognize the fact that we would be far short of the 10,000 goal were it not for our new shipping partner, Purolator USA.  They stepped up in December, recognized the importance of what we are doing, and we've been filling requests for new coats across the U.S. ever since."

Thank you to all for your support! 

Effective January 7^th, the Coats for Kids Foundation is implementing a new order processing system which has been designed to address several issues—repetitive entry of organization information, clarity of requests (# of coats requested, email addresses and telephone numbers), real-time updating of order status via email, and tracking of all requests and deliveries in an integrated system.  Today, orders may not be faxed or telephoned to Coats for Kids, but must be submitted through the internet system.  Permian Technologies, our Webmaster, has created an on-line order entry system and here’s how it will work:

•  Every organization must complete a brief on-line registration form once (link at Register/Login menu) on home page.

•   The form asks for basic information that we expect any organization to be able to complete:   a) organization name, b) name of person submitting information, c) title of individual, d) organization address (street address, not PO box), city, state, zipcode), e) telephone number, f) cell or after business hours contact number, g) fax number (if you have), h) federal tax ID number (if you have one) i) organization web address, j) email address.

• All of the information provided will be considered confidential and only used by CFK to validate the organization.   If additional information is needed, CFK will request it.

Monday, December 17th was a great day for the Coats for Kids Foundation when we received word that Purolator USA would ship and deliver our new coats, nats, and gloves to needy kids throughout the United States.  Tuesday we began preparing shipments.  Wednesday, Purolator will pick them up.  Friday, the coats will be on the children who most likely have never had a new winter coat.

Conal Finnegan, Vice President, Strategic Development and Business Initiatives, Purolator USA said, "Coats for Kids" is a tremendous organization that each year helps thousands of less fortunate children throughout the United States.  Providing these children with new warm coats allows them a basic necessity during the cold winter months, and also lets them know that people care.  The  employees of Purolator USA are proud to support this organization by donating the transportation and delivery of these coats."

This last week, we told you that the Coats for Kids Foundation will receive the proceeds from a newly recorded song, "The Christmas Wish" by country music composers Dawn and John Lewis.  The song has great lyrics and is #16 on the independent music charts.  We've put the link below.  "Please vote for The Christmas Wish". Got to http://www.independentmusicnetwork.com/mcharts.php, click on Vote for Mainstream charts, scroll down to John D. Lewis and click on the song title."

Your vote will help the Coats for Kids Foundation because we receive the royalties for this song when it is purchased here in the U.S. on Napster and soon on I-Tunes. 

The real meaning of the holidays we are having now was brought hometo us on December 9th, when the Coats for Kids Foundation partnered with  Operation Homefront to help make this Christmas season one of hope and joy for kids who have little of either.  The event was a Christmas party for the children of wounded soliders at Walter Reed Army Hospital.  These soldiiers--men and women--returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious injuries and are undergoing rehab at Walter Reed.  Sixty-five kids were there with their parents, and Coats for Kids provided new hats, gloves, and new winter coats for every child.  We also provided 65 giant Snoopys that had been given to us by Macy's at Landmark, Alexandria, VA. 

This week, the Coats for Kids Foundation received its first shipment of new coats from S. Rotschild in New York.  The coats are beautiful and excellent quality.  Now, we will have plus size coats for girls and boys up to 18.5. 

We're still working on a supplier for adult-sized coats.  If you know of a supplier that would work with us, please email us! 

A program that began in 2005 has changed this year, because of the limited supply of new winter coats and CFK's inability to affordably ship coats.   This year's program is a "how to" guide for companies and communities that want to have a new coat drive and adopt a school.

Here are the basics:

Make a difference in the life of a needy child today. You can now help  Coats for Kids by making a  secure contribution using Paypal.  You do  not need to have a Paypal account to donate.

 The Coats for Kids Foundation was established in January 2004 as a public, charitable foundation by Paul and Cheryl Darby of Alexandria, VA. It received IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) in March 2004. The Coats for Kids Foundation mission is “to ensure that every child who needs a winter coat receives a new one.”