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.”
CFK distinguishes itself from other very worthwhile and commendable programs by:
- Only distributing new winter coats
- Including a pair of new gloves and a new winter hat, and
- Accepting requests for coats and delivering them all winter long—from October through the end of March. Most coat drives only operate between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If you have "gently used" coats, as they are termed, please contact the Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other local entity to donate them. The Coats for Kids Foundation only distributes new coats.
Why New Coats
Giving a child a new coat positively impacts that child’s self-esteem and self-worth. We believe—and school principals, nurses, and social workers agree—that the impact on kids that receive coats from CFK is dramatic, as evidenced by heads held high, smiles, and fewer missed days of school because of illness. Most kids that receive a coat from CFK either have never had a winter coat or, at best, have had a hand-me-down from a parent, sibling, or clothing box.
Distribution
Our delivery of coats is done through schools, county or local social service agencies, churches, and through other non-profit organizations that work with at-risk and disadvantaged children. Requests for coats are processed via email from a standard request form and are assembled as quickly as possible. In the Alexandria area, many schools pick up the coats. If coats are requested outside of the immediate area, until a new shipping partner is found, organizations making the request will be responsible for shipping expenses.
Contributions
CFK provides contribution receipts for donations from individuals, businesses, and groups. Contributions allow CFK to buy the new coats that are distributed. Also, individuals and groups purchase new coats which CFK distributes. In every instance, all individuals and businesses that contribute either coats or dollars receive a receipt for tax deduction purposes.
Supply Sources
Our primary supply source today is through our partnership with Operation Warm.
Coat Sizes
CFK provides sizes from size 4-16 for girls, 4-18/20 for boys and larger kids in adult sizes M to 2XL.Delivery Area
Our first year—January 2004 through March 2005, CFK delivered coats primarily in Alexandria, VA. For the following two years, CFK was able to deliver coats to several states because of a partnership with FedEx Express.
We deliver nationwide, provided that there is local fundraising to underwrite the cost of the coats and shipping. In the metro-DC region, the Combined Federal Campaign underwrites all coats delivered.
Storage
Olympac Moving and Storage, Alexandria, VA, has donated all of the storage space for supplies and new donated coats. We are grateful for their continued support.
Schools Partnership Program
In 2005, CFK began a new program that encourages service organizations and businesses to identify a school that they wish to support and work with the foundation to quantify the need, establish a fundraising goal, have CFK source and pack the coats for delivery and then have the group or business participate in presenting the coats to the school and its students.
The first corporation to use this program was MCI in Washington, DC. Its Community Action Team adopted John Adams Elementary School and provided a $5,000 grant to source, pack and deliver 199 new winter coats, hats, and gloves last year. In addition, the MCI staff raised an additional $2,000 to further the work of the Coats for Kids Foundation. MCI, Chicago, carried out a similar program with Loop Elementary School. MCI made a $2,500 grant to CFK for this program. In 2006, Coats for Kids was “adopted” by the Air Force Acquisition staff, headquartered in Rosslyn, VA . Their month-long new coat drive resulted in a donation of 44 new winter coats, hats, and pairs of gloves. That first year's results have been surpassed in the past four years with nearly 1,200 new coats given to CFK.
In North Carolina this past winter, the ag economics students at Mount Olive College raised nearly $1,000 for Coats for Kids so that new winter coats could be given to an elementary school in Mount Olive.
Also last winter, an Alexandria organization, Women for Wise Giving, provided a $5,000 grant to Coats for Kids to further our work.
Where Our Money Goes
Coats for Kids does not have paid staff. Contributions are used for the purchase of supplies:computers, printers, labels, brochures, and posters.
Annually, Coats for Kids is audited by PBGH of Harrisonburg, VA. This firm prepares our 990 filing with the Internal Revenue Service. Copies are available upon request by emailing
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How You Can Help
- Volunteer to man tables at charity fairs for the Combined Federal Campaign.
- Help deliver coats to the kids of wounded soldiers at Washingtn-area military hospitals.
- Contribute either dollars or new coats to Coats for Kids