The 2nd annual coat distribution was held December 10 at the Community Kitchen and Pantry in Harlem to distribute more than 650 free coats to people in need.
One Warm Coat and Food Bank For New York City again joined forces to distribute warm winter coats to children and adults in Harlem this holiday season. The need for warm coats is especially urgent now as individuals and families are struggling to recover from the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1 in 7 Americans currently living below the poverty threshold.
The Food Bank For New York City provides food to individuals and families in need at their Community Kitchen and Pantry in Harlem and around the city, while One Warm Coat works with partner agencies across the country to distribute hundreds of thousands of coats to people in need. The partnership is one of the outcomes of a meeting at the start of the pandemic between One Warm Coat and Feeding America.
“We knew that people across the country were struggling to access basic necessities such as food and shelter and we brainstormed about how our two organizations could work together to streamline services for individuals and families who needed assistance,” said One Warm Coat President & CEO Beth Amodio.
“We are thrilled to once again be partnering with One Warm Coat to provide comfort and cheer to the families and individuals we serve at our Community Kitchen in Harlem,” said Food Bank President & CEO Leslie Gordon. “As temperatures begin to decrease in NYC, it is a privilege to supply our neighbors not only with hot meals, but with the coats and jackets they need to stay warm all winter long. We are grateful for the generosity of One Warm Coat’s donors who made today’s coat distribution possible.”
Last year during the heart of the lockdown, coats were distributed to clients of the Community Kitchen and Pantry in Harlem the week of Thanksgiving. The event was so well received by the community that both organizations agreed to make it a priority to continue the distribution on an annual basis.
The coat distribution was made possible from an in-kind donation from Carhartt, as well as a grant from C&S Wholesale Grocers and a donation from an anonymous donor to One Warm Coat’s Crisis Coat Fund. The Fund allows One Warm Coat to purchase coats in bulk at significantly discounted rates and ship directly where there is a need.
