Coats for Kids has received many questions regarding how it operates. These questions are answered on this page.
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Will Coats for Kids work outside the city of Alexandria? |
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Yes we will deliver coats throughout the U.S.
However, if requested outside of the Washington DC metro region, the cost of the coats and shipment must be underwritten locally. The Washington DC region is our priority.
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Will you deliver coats to children individually? |
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No. Our charter is to deliver coats
only through established organizations, i.e. schools, city departments of
social services, churches and other non-profit
or service organizations
who provide services to at-risk and poor children.
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Will you participate in large giveaway programs at the holidays? |
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No. We work closely with schools and other organizations to make certain that coats go to children who need one. We do this to positively impact each child's self-image.
While this is a charitable effort, our goal is to impact every facet of a child's life to give hope and confidence to them to fully participate in all school activities. Mass give-aways are outside our scope and mission.
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Do you require evidence that the child receiving the coat is poor? |
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No. By working with nurses, social workers and
principals and others who work daily with at-risk kids, we are
confident that the children who they indicate need coats are, in fact,
those whose families cannot afford to provide them one.
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Our sizes change based on available inventory. The sizes currently are:4.5/6,, 8, 10/12, 14, 16 for girls and 4, 5/6, 6, 8, 10/12, 14/16, 18/20 for boys and adult-sized coats M, XL, 2XL.
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Do you want to know who receives coats that you donate? |
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No. We accept that an organization will do what it says it does once they have been approved as a recipient organization.
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Are you present when coats are delivered? |
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Only if the
social worker has a question about whether
a particular coat will fit. In that case, we will assist.
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Will you deliver coats to churches? |
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Yes. We expect churches to provide us with information about the children and schools with whom they are working.
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Is Coats for Kids a non-profit coporation? |
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Yes. Our approval letter from the IRS as a public charity is posted on our website.
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Will Coats for Kids be able to meet the needs, once it becomes well known? |
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We certainly intend to do so, but much is dependent on public support. Our 501(C)(3) status is crucial to our fundraising. Our challenge is to stretch dollars to meet this growing need.
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How many coats do you have on-hand? |
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We no longer inventory coats in Alexandria. All coats are warehoused and shipped for us to requesting organizations.
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Are your coats good quality? |
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Yes. They are first quality. No seconds. We believe that children who
do not have a winter coat shouldn't be asked to wear anything that we wouldn't
want
to wear,
so our coats are first rate, made to exacting specifications for our partner organization, Operation Warm.
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Do you take used coats, hats, and gloves? |
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No. We suggest that individuals or groups collecting used coats contact the Salvation Army or GoodWil or your church clothing bank.
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Do you pay salaries to anyone who works with Coats for Kids? |
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Do board members receive any fee for serving? |
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No. All
board members are serving on a voluntary
basis.
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Q & A 
